Different Things
by Snavej
Summary: Oliver and Eugene's school just got a new student and Eugene just got a ship load of new feelings. But relationships are never that easy. [Yasune, Mairu, warnings for dark themes]
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hi everyone, I want to give a heads up to everyone reading this story that it contains many dark themes and that if you are worried about any of them, please message me I am happy to answer any questions that you may have!**

* * *

A knock at the door interrupted the lesson. The whole class looked up from their Maths textbooks.

"Come in," Miss Smith called, pushing her glasses up her nose as she turned her head to see the intruder who dared disturb the peace and quiet of her classroom.

"Ah, Miss Smith, I hope you don't mind me interrupting," the headteacher said from the doorway, gesturing with his pudgy hand. "We have a new student."

"Of course Mr McNab," Miss Smith said, smiling.

The new student stepped forward. He was a tall, bespectacled young man of Japanese descent whose uniform had that unmistakable new look to it. Next to Mr McNab, he looked pale, like he had not got enough sunshine over the summer.

"Please, go ahead and introduce yourself," Mr McNab said.

"Hi," he began. "My name is Osamu Yasuhara, but I am used to being called by my surname. I am moving here from London where my father works at the Japanese Embassy."

Oliver Davis spared the new student a glance before returning to his work. His twin, Eugene, looked a little longer and gave Yasuhara a reassuring smile. No one liked standing at the front after all.

Eugene studied Yasuhara's face. He was handsome in a bookish way, but Eugene could not quite make out the expression in Yasuhara's eyes, due to the reflection of the classroom's yellow lights on his glasses.

Yasuhara had a stretched quality about him, as if he had grown a lot in a short space of time. He looked just a little too thin, his uniform a tad baggy in places. But then again, a lot of the boys had grown over the summer break. Many had come back in trousers that were a few inches too short.

"I'll leave him in your capable hands," Mr McNab said before he disappeared into the hallway. Eugene made eye contact with Yasuhara and quickly looked back down at his work, not wanting to creep Yasuhara out by staring.

"Please take a seat wherever you like," Miss Smith said, gesturing around the room. "I'll find you a workbook."

Yasuhara walked down the central aisle to the back row.

"Can I sit here?"

Eugene looked up, confused. His heart skipped a beat at the unexpected and dazzling smile he was greeted by. Yasuhara was pointing to the empty seat next to him. Though he supposed upon further reflection, the only other free seats were right at the front. No one in their right mind would willingly sit at the front.

"Of course," Eugene said, recovering from his initial shock. Usually, he and his brother sat alone in the back row.

"Great," Yasuhara said as he slid into the seat.

Oliver had not looked up at the intercourse, but Eugene felt him stir.

Miss Smith bustled over with new books and set about explaining the current topic to Yasuhara. As they were only in the second week of the term, Yasuhara had not missed much.

"I'm sure Mr Davis here will help you if you need it, won't you?"

"Yes," Eugene replied, smiling at the teacher until she retreated back to her own desk.

Eugene watched out of the corner of his eye as the new student flicked open the books.

"What page are we on?"

"Three hundred and ninety four," Eugene replied quietly. "Exercise two."

"Thanks," Yasuhara grinned and adjusted his glasses.

"Gene," Oliver muttered, "Do you have a spare pen?"

Eugene spun around and noticed the fading ink in his brother's workbook. He also noted that Oliver was most definitely not doing the work the teacher had assigned. In fact, he wasn't entirely sure that Oliver was even doing maths. It looked a bit like Greek.

Eugene fished a spare biro from his blazer pocket and handed it over. Taking the pen in hand, Oliver returned to his work.

"So your name is Gene?"

Eugene spun back to his right to look at his new neighbour.

"Yeah, sorry I should have introduced myself."

"No worries," Yasuhara replied with an easy smile. "Are you a boarder?"

"No, we live in the village."

"Shame, I've yet to meet someone who boards."

"I know someone," Eugene remarked. "But she's in the female dorms."

"They're next to the boys' dorms though, right?"

"Well yeah, but if you get caught there you'll get expelled," Eugene pointed out. "Though I suppose the common room is shared."

"What's her name? Your friend?" Yasuhara asked.

"Mai, Mai Taniyama."

Eugene could not help but notice the momentary pause in his brother's writing. He made no comment but smiled at Oliver's predictable reaction.

"Cool, I'll keep an eye out for her," Yasuhara said, grinning. Eugene was not sure he liked the expression his new deskmate made.

They fell silent and the low murmur from within the class became deafening to Eugene's ears.

"So... You moved here from London?" Eugene asked in an attempt to make conversation with Yasuhara.

"Yeah, I had no choice."

Eugene tilted his head, not wanting to intrude but curious nonetheless.

"I got kicked out of my old school," Yasuhara clarified.

Eugene recoiled, his eyes wide. This young man did not look like a troublemaker at all, but, Eugene supposed, he should not judge on appearance alone. Just because Yasuhara wore glasses, it did not make him a nerdy, goody-two-shoes bookworm.

"Really?" Eugene asked, attempting to hide his shock.

"Yeah."

Eugene did not miss the widening smirk on Yasuhara's face.

"What for? If you don't mind me asking."

"I got in trouble, they kicked me out."

The smirk morphed into something that appeared more… Bitter? Eugene was not sure. He frowned but did not question Yasuhara's evasive answer.

"Are you two working back there?" Miss Smith called from the front.

"Yes Miss," Eugene replied and returned to his work.

At the end of the lesson, Yasuhara walked with Eugene and Oliver to the canteen. Once they had collected their food, Oliver led the way to their usual seat by the window where two girls were already eating.

They were both petite, Japanese and pretty in their own ways.

"Hey!" Eugene greeted.

"Who is your new friend?" one of the girls asked. She was the slightly shorter of two, with black hair and porcelain skin.

"This is Osamu Yasuhara," Eugene said. Yasuhara offered his hand to the girls.

"I usually go by my surname, Yasuhara," he said.

"Masako," the shorter girl introduced herself, taking Yasuhara's hand with her own. But instead of shaking it, Yasuhara turned it over and placed a light kiss on the back of her hand, causing her cheeks to flush.

"Mai," the other girl said as she tucked her brown hair behind her ear. Yasuhara kissed her hand too, resulting in another red face.

Oliver huffed in the corner.

"Ah, so you are the girl Gene mentioned. He said you board here?"

"Yeah. Are you boarding too?"

"Well, my family lives in London, it's a little too far to commute."

The girls voiced their sympathy as Eugene and Yasuhara sat down. A silence settled over them as they all began to eat their lunch.

"What do you all do?" Yasuhara asked, halfway through his lasagne.

Eugene chewed contentedly on his own lasagne until he noticed that Yasuhara was watching him. Suddenly he was acutely aware of how his face must look while eating. Did he have sauce on his face? Was that why Yasuhara was staring? He wiped his mouth with his hand, just in case.

"Biology, Chemistry, Maths and French AS levels," Eugene replied after a hasty swallow.

"Cool." Yasuhara grinned at him before looking around at the others for their answers.

"We're both fifth years," Masako said, nodding her head towards Mai. "So the required GCSE subjects and then my options are French, History, Drama and Business Studies."

"Same, but Computing instead of Business," Mai added.

"Noll does Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths," Eugene answered for Oliver, who had finished eating, started reading, and had shown no inclination to reply for himself.

"Awesome," Yasuhara said. "I do Maths, as you found out earlier. And I'll be doing History, Economics and Politics."

"What do you want to study at university?" Eugene asked.

"Law, you?"

"Medicine."

"You must be very smart then."

"Any idiot can study medicine as long as they can remember a lot of facts. It requires no intelligence," Oliver muttered.

"Oliver!" Mai rebuked. "Gene is intelligent!"

"But that has nothing to do with his choice to do medicine. The assumption was incorrect."

"So how long have you two been dating?" Yasuhara asked, directing his attention to Mai and Oliver.

Mai's face flooded scarlet.

"We're not!" she insisted.

Masako giggled behind her hand while Oliver returned to his book. Eugene rolled his eyes and gave Yasuhara a long-suffering look.

" _Sure_ ," Yasuhara said, smirking. "So how long is the lunch break?"

"Another half an hour or so," Masako replied.

"Are we allowed off site?"

"No, not without permission," Mai said.

Yasuhara sighed and sat back in his chair.

"I need to return my library book before History," Masako said, facing Mai. "Do you want to come?"

"Yeah," Mai said. "I need something to read."

The girls jumped up and said their goodbyes, leaving the boys to finish their lunch.

"So Mai's spoken for, huh?" Yasuhara asked but did not wait for an answer. "Shame, she's cute. Though I suppose it is up to her if she wanted to date elsewhere."

Oliver stood up and excused himself. He left the canteen with undue haste under Eugene's watchful eye.

"He won't admit he likes her," Eugene said with a sigh. "Pair of idiots…"

"How do you know the girls? Do you normally hang out with the lower years?"

"Not really, Masako went to the same primary school as me and Noll so we just sort of always knew each other. Mai and Masako were in the same class in first year and so…" he trailed off with a shrug.

Yasuhara nodded but did not say anything else.

"So yeah," Eugene went on, feeling the urge to speak again. "We've just always been a little group of friends. Even when I went out with Masako."

"You dated her?"

"For like a week," he clarified. Eugene could feel a blush rising to his cheeks. "It wasn't even serious. We didn't even kiss or anything."

Eugene cursed himself for revealing so much. Now Yasuhara would think him pathetic and—

"Cute."

 _Cute?_ Eugene had not expected that and was not entirely sure he appreciated it either. He did not need to look in a mirror to know his cheeks were turning pink.

Eugene tried to think of another topic, anything but his failing love life and the embarrassment of being called 'cute'. Fortunately, Yasuhara came to his aid.

"Could you show me where Austen Wing Room Five is? I have no idea where anything is in this school and I have Economics next period."

"Sure," Eugene said. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Eugene gave Yasuhara a rough tour of the entire school grounds and finished up with the Austen Wing just before the bell. The majority of the buildings were old, constructed a few hundred years ago like grand manor houses. Only the library was relatively new, it had been the school's flagship project for the last few years as it consisted of several new study and seminar rooms for the Sixth Form students.

"Room Five is just down there," Eugene said, pointing.

"Cheers," Yasuhara said. "I guess I'll see you in Maths then?"

"Yeah," Eugene said and Yasuhara grinned at him. "If you have any other questions about the school or anything, just ask, I don't mind. I'm happy to help!"

"What's your number?" Yasuhara asked.

Eugene's eyes widened.

"Excuse me?" Eugene gulped.

Had Yasuhara been standing that closely a second ago? How had he not noticed that Yasuhara was just a little bit taller than him? And why was his heart racing? Yasuhara was new, it was normal he would want to make friends. Having your friend's phone number was not unusual.

"...So I can text you with any questions I might have?" Yasuhara stepped back with a smile.

"Oh! Yeah, here I'll write it down for you," Eugene muttered. He pulled a scrap of paper from his pocket and scribbled his number down. "If I don't reply it's because I'm in class. We're only allowed mobiles out in the common room."

"I'll see you later then," Yasuhara said as he pocketed the scrap.

"Yeah, later!"

Yasuhara walked off in the direction of his classroom while Eugene decided to head to the Sixth Form common room. He let out a breath he did not realise he had been holding and tried to focus on something important. What homework did he have?

Eugene ended up sharing Oliver's table in the common room. Oliver was still working on something that was obviously not schoolwork. Eugene left him to it, he had more interesting things to think over. Like how to work out the formulae of mathematical series and why had Yasuhara been expelled from his previous school?

"I can hear you thinking from here," Oliver muttered. "What is bothering you?"

"He just doesn't strike me as the kind of guy to get himself kicked out," Eugene said with a frown.

Oliver did not respond as the subject did not interest him. Eugene continued to neglect his Maths homework until the start of the final period of the day; Biology.

* * *

"Hello, boys! I thought I'd come and pick you up soon as the weather is so dreadful," Luella greeted them at the school gates. Normally the twins would walk home due to the short distance. "I need to pop to the shops to pick up a few things for dinner too."

"Thanks, Mum," Eugene said. Oliver followed without a word. They climbed into the back of their mother's car and it pulled away into the oncoming rain.

"So did you have a nice day at school?"

"Was alright," Eugene said. "There was a new boy in Maths."

"Really? How come he's late to join?"

"He didn't really say, but his dad works at the Japanese embassy."

"Oh how exciting," Luella said. "What about you Noll? How is Mai?"

"She's fine," Oliver muttered. "Gene is just as aware of her health as I am."

"I was just including you in the conversation," Luella said, smiling knowingly. "And how is Masako?"

"She's fine too."

"I'm glad, you should all get together sometime, you haven't done that in a while have you?"

"Yeah, maybe," Eugene said. He contemplated the amount of homework he currently had and was unsure how he was going to fit in a social life too. If only he had finished his maths homework during his free period.

Their mother's idea of a picking up 'a few things' turned out to be a full-on weekly shop. Oliver scowled as they followed Luella around. Eugene took charge of the trolley and listened politely to his mother's ramblings about her own day at work.

"Oh bother, I forgot, we ran out of handwash too," she mumbled. "Gene, be a dear and run back and get some. It doesn't matter which one."

Gene passed the trolley over to his brother, who had been eying the packets of sweets on the nearest shelf. Gene smiled; a certain female friend of theirs enjoyed sweets very much.

He walked to aisle three, where the handwash sat alongside the soap, shampoo and other toiletries. Gene perused the current deals and ascertained which brand was the best value for money. Once set on a brand, he inhaled the various scents and finally settled on a zesty lemon one.

"Gene?"

Eugene looked up. Yasuhara stood a few feet away clutching two different deodorants.

"Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

"Shopping with my Mum," Eugene replied. "I thought you weren't allowed off site as a boarder during the week?"

"They made an exception, I don't have any toiletries," Yasuhara said, brushing the question aside. "But I'm torn between these two. This one—" he indicated the one in his left hand, "—smells better, but it might clash with my aftershave and this one—" he indicated the other can, "—isn't as strong, but I'm not sure about the smell."

Eugene blinked.

"Yeah," he agreed dumbly. Who thought that much about deodorant?

"Could you give your opinion?"

"Sure?"

Eugene closed the gap between them and sniffed the tops of the deodorant cans where the slightest whiff of their scent hang.

"Now sniff me," Yasuhara instructed. He offered his neck. Eugene glanced around, but they were quite alone in aisle three. He gingerly leant forwards and sniffed. "It's a nice aftershave huh?"

Yasuhara was right. It was. Though Eugene had no idea how he would describe it. Kind of like a forest in spring? It smelt refreshing and natural.

"Yeah," Eugene agreed, trying to ignore the blood rising to his cheeks. "I think the lighter deodorant would work better. It wouldn't overpower the smell of the aftershave."

"You reckon?"

"Yeah," Eugene said and smiled. "Well, I better get back to my Mum. See you at school tomorrow?"

"Definitely," Yasuhara said.

Eugene turned and walked away. Within two steps he managed to trip over his own feet and narrowly missed falling on his face. Without looking back, he continued forward, hoping against hope that Yasuhara had not seen his blunder.

When he caught up with his brother and mother, he noted that there was a pack of Magic Stars in the trolley. He knew his mother would not have picked them up as she was on a permanent health kick, which meant Oliver must have.

Eugene raised an eyebrow at Oliver, who stared back defiantly.

"You took a while," Luella commented as she chose between two types of sun dried tomatoes.

"Bumped into someone."

"Oliver asked if he could have some sweets, if you want some too, just go and pick up a pack."

"I'm alright," Eugene replied. "Though it's interesting that he chose the milk chocolate ones that happen to be Mai's favourite…"

He ignored the daggers Oliver was sending him.

"Well I hope he shares them with her then," Luella said. "That girl is tiny, she could do with some fat on her. I swear they don't feed them enough when boarding." She paused. "Is that new boy boarding?"

"Yeah."

"Well if he ever wants some proper food, invite him around okay?"

Eugene sighed.

"Mum, I am not inviting around every boarder that you think is underfed."

"Well someone has to look out for them," Luella said. "I don't know how any parent could send their child away like that."

Eugene refrained from rolling his eyes. He was distracted, however, by Oliver nudging him and showing him a text he had received.

 **Mai: The new boy has gone missing! Teachers are in a panic…**

Eugene frowned. He had just seen Yasuhara. He had said they had let him out to get toiletries. Had he been lying? Or was it just a miscommunication?

"Come on boys," Luella called over her shoulder. They caught up and followed her to the checkout as Eugene pondered the behaviour of his new friend.

* * *

 **Author's note: Hi again! So first up I want to thank T** iffo the chicken flea **for helping me with the name, TeaAddictedGhostHunter for the image and both of them for editing this monster of a story and helping me with ideas. I have over 75k words written so far for this and I am finishing it off for NaNoWriMo! I plan to update weekly so expect chapter 2 next week!**


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

Eugene had never been more mortified in his entire life. He knew his mother had meant well, but this really was taking it too far.

His mother had baked a batch of cookies especially for 'the poor starving new boarding boy' as she had taken to calling him. Eugene had shoved the tub in his bag and ardently ignored it all day.

However, his brother had not forgotten yesterday's teasing.

"Gene, aren't you going to give Yasuhara his cookies?" Noll said, just loud enough to be heard at the end of the maths lesson that day.

"Cookies?" Yasuhara's ears perked up.

Eugene scowled at his twin, who smirked back at him before leaving.

"You better go give Mai her chocolate then!" he yelled. Noll's smirk morphed to a grimace, but Eugene did not really feel as if he had gotten him back.

"You made me cookies?"

"No, my Mum did," Eugene explained. He pulled the offending items from his bag and passed them over. "She doesn't approve of boarding and thinks they underfeed you."

"That's so nice of her," Yasuhara said. Eugene could not see his eyes due to the reflection in his glasses, so it was hard to ascertain Yasuhara's true feelings on the matter. "Thank her for me."

"Yeah will do."

Yasuhara opened the tub and took a cookie.

"Do you want one?"

"No, I'm alright thanks."

"Sure? We could share one if you want?"

Eugene paused, struck by a feeling he could not quite explain. A voice in the back of his head was asking what harm sharing a cookie could do? He liked cookies...

"Alright then, just a little bit."

Yasuhara broke the cookie in half and passed some to Eugene. Eugene bit into it. Despite being thoroughly annoyed with his mother, he had to appreciate her baking skills.

"These are amazing!" Yasuhara gushed. "Oh, here, you have a crumb on your…"

Yasuhara reached up and brushed the crumb away from Eugene's lip before Eugene could even attempt to start moving. His thumb was rough on Eugene's lip, causing him to shiver as a tingling sensation shot down his spine. To cover his reaction to the gentle touch, Eugene forced a hasty cough.

"Oh, thanks."

"You two should run along," Miss Smith said from the front. Eugene blanched; he had forgotten the teacher had even been in the room. "School's over now. And—" she added, as an afterthought, "—you shouldn't be eating in the classroom."

Eugene hastened to hide the remainder of his cookie. But Yasuhara made no effort to move.

"Come on," Eugene muttered. "Sorry Miss."

Yasuhara shrugged before following Eugene out of the room and to the lockers near the Sixth Form Common Room.

Eugene opened his locker and exchanged a few books, muttering to himself as he did so. There was no need to take his Biology book home as he had no homework. But he would need his Chemistry and Maths textbooks.

He started zipping up his bag. But a sudden bang caused him to look up. Yasuhara had slammed Eugene's locker door shut.

"You made me ju—"

"Here," Yasuhara interrupted. "Finish this."

He held the rest of the cookie up. Not at a height that it would be easy for Eugene to take with his hand, but where he could simply reach forward and take it between his teeth.

"I…" Eugene froze, unable to form words. He thought he knew what Yasuhara wanted him to do, but he could not believe that Yasuhara was unaware of how intimate the action would be. Or was he reading too much into it? They were just two friends, sharing a cookie, right?

Yasuhara pushed the cookie forward.

"Eat it."

Eugene's eyes flickered between the cookie and Yasuhara's intense gaze. Then he reached forward and took it in his mouth.

Yasuhara smirked and turned on his heel. Any resolve Eugene had that the action had been purely platonic faded.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Yasuhara winked at him and walked away, leaving Eugene with a rapidly beating heart and a mouthful of cookie.

* * *

"Gene, dear, are you quite alright?" Luella asked at dinner that evening.

"Hmm?" Eugene looked up, setting down his stalled fork. "Yeah, just pondering a maths problem."

Eugene could see Oliver smirking out of the corner of his eye, but ignored it. He was not in the mood to retaliate.

"Well if you're having trouble, we can get you a tutor," Luella suggested. "Or Oliver, could you help your brother?"

"It's nothing serious Mum," Eugene said quickly. "It's fine."

Despite his words, Eugene was not sure it was fine. What had Yasuhara meant by his actions? That had definitely not been usual friend-like behaviour.

"It's good to let their minds struggle a little!" Martin said from the end of the table. "He'll ask if he wants help, won't you boy?"

"Yes," he replied automatically. But if it was not friend-like behaviour, that made it… Well, Yasuhara was an attractive guy.

"Did you give the new boy his cookies?" Luella asked.

Gene almost choked on the mouthful of food he had been about to swallow.

"Yes," he said as he reached for his glass of water. "Yeah, he said to thank you for them."

"Oh, what a nice boy." Luella took a bite of her own dinner before going on. "You must invite him around sometime. Boarders are allowed out at weekends right?"

"What happened to having everyone over?" Oliver asked quietly.

Luella beamed.

"Then we'll do that, how about this weekend? You could all watch a film?"

"Yeah, didn't Masako mention wanting to watch the newest Star Trek film?" Eugene aimed the question at his brother, who nodded in reply.

"Well, that's settled then," Luella declared.

* * *

Oliver and Eugene had a shared free first period the following day. Oliver had disappeared off to the library, presumably to do some work, leaving Eugene to his French homework in the common room.

He sat with his French Literature book in one hand and his French-to-English dictionary in his lap.

"What are you reading?"

Eugene did not need to look up to know that Yasuhara had slunk into the seat next to him.

"L'Étranger by Albert Camus."

Eugene tried to continue reading. But he could not help it, his mind was replaying the scene from the previous day by the lockers. He could almost taste the cookie, and feel its crumbly texture on his lips.

"Is it any good?"

"It's alright," Eugene replied, forcing himself back to the present. "Well, I think I like it more because I can actually understand it, but I'll take what I can get."

Eugene suddenly noticed a familiar smell invading his nostrils. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent before recognising it as Yasuhara's aftershave. He turned his head just enough to see Yasuhara leaning in over his shoulder. Eugene hitched his breath as he returned his eyes to the book in his hands lest he give away how much of an effect his neighbour's presence had over him. In an attempt to calm his racing heart, he focused on the next sentence.

"I did French GCSE," Yasuhara said. "But it looks like I've forgotten it all over the summer. I can barely read any of this."

Before Eugene could formulate a statement encouraging Yasuhara, a sudden shout came from the other side of the common room.

"—sick of your shit! You arsehole!"

Eugene and Yasuhara snapped their heads in unison to see one of the upper sixth boys throwing a punch at another sixth-former. Within seconds, a ring of jeering students had formed around the young men.

Eugene jumped up, all thoughts of Yasuhara pushed aside momentarily. Yasuhara frowned at him but did nothing as Eugene rushed forward and pushed his way through the gaggle of students.

"Break it up!" he shouted over the raucous cries of 'fight fight fight'.

"Get out of the way Davis," one of the fighters growled as Eugene tried to get in between them. "This has nothing to do with you."

The other boy grabbed Eugene and pushed him away. Eugene bounced straight back with his arms out ready to prevent the collision of fists.

But a punch curved around his arm and socked him on the jaw. Eugene fell over from the force of it, but neither of the fighters stopped to contemplate what had happened as someone else joined the fray.

Eugene cradled his jaw as he saw Yasuhara disarming both boys.

The crowd backed away in alarm as Yasuhara stood, panting with his arms up ready to continue. The boys were on the floor nursing minor injuries.

Yasuhara held his hand out to Eugene, who took it, pushed through the crowd and out of the common room.

"What did you do?"

Yasuhara ignored the question.

"You're hurt," Yasuhara stated as his hand stretched out to inspect Eugene's injury.

"It's fine," Eugene insisted, brushing Yasuhara's hand aside, sure that if he made contact that it would sting. "It'll just be a little bruised."

Yasuhara growled.

"You shouldn't've got in their way," he said in a low voice.

"Someone had to stop them fighting," Eugene protested. "You got in the middle of it!"

Yasuhara didn't argue with the statement. He let a breath out slowly and looked down the corridor.

"You shouldn't've got in their way."

Then he strode off, leaving Eugene alone.

Eugene watched him go, noticing the evident tension in his friend's shoulders. Eugene turned back to the common room, he had to collect his belongings before his next lesson.

* * *

No sooner had Eugene pulled his French textbook from his bag, when his name was called from the door.

It was Mrs York, the head of the Sixth Form.

"Could I borrow Mr Davis for a few minutes?"

His French teacher excused him, so Eugene scooped up his stuff and followed her to her office. Yasuhara and the two boys that had been fighting before were already seated in the room.

Eugene noticed one of them had a wrist support on —had he been that hurt?

"Sit down Davis," Mrs York said.

She sighed as she took her own seat behind her desk and faced the four boys.

"I do not care why you were all fighting," she began. "You all know that physical violence is prohibited here. I am thoroughly disappointed in all of you. I expected better." Her eyes were on Eugene as she finished speaking. She sighed again. "I am going to place you all in detention."

"What?" Eugene exclaimed. "But—"

"Mrs York, that is out of order," Yasuhara interjected. "Gene did nothing wrong! All he did was try and break up the fight!"

He looked to the other boys for backup, but they only shrugged in indifference.

"You will all be in detention this evening and that is the end of it. Now leave my office and return to your lessons, I need to phone your parents."

Eugene's stomach dropped. She was calling his parents. He had no idea how Martin and Luella would react. He had never been in trouble before. What would they say?

"Mrs York, with all due respect," Yasuhara persisted, his incredulous tone pulling Gene back from his inner concerns. "You are being utterly unreasonable—"

"Mr Yasuhara, be quiet, please. I am the head of the Sixth Form and I will decide punishments as I see fit. Now please leave my office and return to your lessons."

Yasuhara stood up so violently that his chair fell backwards with a crash. The other boys followed in a calmer manner. Eugene waited until they had gone before righting the chair Yasuhara had knocked over.

"I'm sorry Mrs York."

"I understand," she said softly. "This won't affect your university references as long as it doesn't happen again."

"Thank you, Mrs York."

Eugene left the office and looked around for Yasuhara, but he was nowhere to be found, so he returned to his French class.

* * *

Eugene did not see Yasuhara until the detention that evening, where he sat in the classroom set up with a book.

The teacher was not there yet so they were free to talk.

"Hey," Eugene said. "Thanks, you know, for sticking up for me."

"You shouldn't be here," Yasuhara muttered.

"Yeah, but I am now." He slipped into the seat next to Yasuhara and nudged him gently with his elbow. "So we may as well make the most of it." He smiled.

Yasuhara smiled back in spite of himself.

"So what do we even do in detention here?" Yasuhara asked, leaning towards Gene.

"I don't know. I've never had a detention before."

Eugene winced at his own words. He had been so close to a perfect record. Disappointment welled in his chest, he had been proud of the fact that he had never been in trouble at school.

"Wow, seriously? What have you done?" Yasuhara teased. "Never had detention, never been kissed and I bet you've never snuck out before…"

Eugene blushed furiously and stammered to defend himself.

"W-well I've never needed to!"

"No one ever needs to sneak out," Yasuhara said, exasperation lacing his voice. "You do it for the excitement."

"I don't see what's exciting about potentially getting into trouble."

"Well, maybe you should sneak out with me sometime and find out."

He said the words with such intensity that Eugene felt transfixed. He could feel the dare in Yasuhara's suggestion, tempting him.

He could imagine the scene; the pair of them running around in the dark. He envisioned them being chased as they laughed and pranced through the streets.

"But what would we do?" he enquired, wanting details to fuel his fantasy.

"Well, last time I snuck out with someone…" He smirked and looked off into the distance. "We went to the nearest park."

Eugene laughed.

"And did what? Played on the swings?"

He raised a challenging eyebrow at Yasuhara, who rose to the occasion.

"Oh no, I prefer the slide," Yasuhara said. He placed a hand on Eugene's knee. Eugene looked down at it but did not brush it aside. "I like to see just how far I can—" he began to trace a crease in Eugene's trouser leg, up his inner thigh, "—slide."

Yasuhara's fingers did not stop moving as he maintained eye contact. Eugene gulped. A warm feeling spread through Eugene's body, inspiring his desire to be alone with Yasuhara with no risk of teachers walking in.

Then the door opened and the teacher walked in. Yasuhara's hands returned to his book.

"Excellent, you're both here. The other two should be here soon. I've got some work for you to do." The teacher slammed some papers on the desk at the front. "Come and get it. You will be working in silence."

"Will you get me one?" Eugene asked, knowing full well he was not going to be able to stand up for a few minutes.

"Sure thing." He flashed Eugene a dangerous grin and winked as he stood up.

The teacher missed this interaction as the other boys had finally slouched in and were suffering through an explanation of the work they had to do.

Yasuhara passed Eugene the worksheet they had to complete and Eugene started reading it, hoping it would distract him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Gene could see Yasuhara's finger tracing little circles absentmindedly on the desk. Eugene pictured him repeating the action on his thigh and swallowed thickly. It was going to be a long hour.

* * *

Luella drove them home as she ranted to her son.

"I do not blame you in the slightest Gene," Luella huffed. "That woman told me that you had nothing to do with the fight and yet she still punished you. It's a disgrace. I am going to complain to the school board. How on earth can they condone that sort of thing?"

"Mum, it's fine," Eugene said.

"No, it's not. Why didn't this other boy stick up for you?"

"He did!"

"He should have said that you had nothing to do with it."

"He did, Mum!" Eugene tried very hard not to shout.

"And I thought you said he was a nice boy? Nice boys don't get into fights like that."

"He was trying to stop it."

"And yet he managed to sprain that other boy's wrist! That woman told me the whole story!"

"He—"

"—Shouldn't have resorted to violence!" Luella interrupted. "I'm not sure he's the kind of boy you want to associate with Gene."

"Mum! He was trying to help!" Eugene growled in frustration. "He is not a bad person! Just meet him, you'll see!"

Luella pursed her lips but did not say anything else.

Eugene went straight up to his room when they arrived at home. Luella raised an eyebrow at his stroppy behaviour.

He flopped on his bed and lay there for a good few minutes without moving.

"I saw a video of the fight."

Eugene twisted his head to see Oliver standing in the doorway.

"And?"

"Why did you get involved?"

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Eugene looked away from his brother.

"Idiots are always going to fight," Oliver said. "You can't stop everyone from getting hurt."

"I know," Eugene grunted.

He looked back around, expecting Oliver to have left, but he still stood in the doorway.

"Be careful, Gene."

"Of what, exactly?"

A flash of pain crossed Oliver's face at Eugene's harsh tone, but it was quickly replaced with an impassive expression.

"Sorry," Eugene said quickly. "Mum had a go at me for Yasuhara fighting and…"

He sighed.

"Do you want me to distract her from it?"

Eugene shot upright. Had Oliver just—

"You'd do that?"

"You would owe me," Oliver said. "But yes."

Eugene smiled.

"What do you plan on distracting her with?"

"Gene, all I have to do is say Mai's name and she's distracted," Oliver muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"The chocolates were for her, right?"

"Well, I certainly did not plan to eat them. I slipped them into her bag when she was not looking. I think she is convinced that she left a load of food at the bottom of her bag and that it is slowly resurfacing." Oliver's face betrayed his amusement.

"You know, you could just give them to her outright?"

"But where would the fun be in that?"

Oliver sent his twin a smug look and walked away, leaving Eugene sitting on his bed. He reached over to his rucksack and pulled his planner out to check his homework situation. He wanted to get as much done before the weekend if they were going to have friends over. Which reminded him, he had yet to invite anyone.

As if sensing that Eugene was thinking about invitations, his phone vibrated.

 **Unknown number: Hey.**

Eugene knew who it was as he had not given his number to anyone else lately.

 **Eugene: Hey! How's boarding?**

He did not have to wait long for a reply.

 **Yasuhara: Dull. Though Mai promised me a game of table tennis later.**

 **Eugene: Awesome, I wish you luck! Mai's been boarding for a while, so she's pretty good at table tennis from what I've heard.**

It was true. All the boarders played table tennis against each other, they had even organised tournaments.

 **Yasuhara: What do I get if I win?**

Eugene had not been expecting that reply. Somehow he knew 'the satisfaction of knowing you beat Mai' was not going to be enough.

 **Eugene: You want me to give you a prize?**

Eugene could feel his pulse quickening at the thought of Yasuhara's potential reply.

 **Yasuhara: A jouster usually receives a kiss for winning.**

Eugene gulped. The notion of them being 'just friends' was slipping further and further away in his mind.

 **Eugene: Since Mai is going to win, I don't really want to promise a kiss to the winner. Noll might kill me…**

 **Yasuhara: Then I'll take the kiss as a consolation prize ;)**

Eugene suddenly noticed just how dry this mouth had become. But before he could get any further with this thoughts—

"Eugene! It's time for dinner!"

"Coming!" he called back.

Standing up, he dropped his phone on his bed and left it to deal with after dinner. His mother did not like phones at the dinner table.

He met Oliver on the stairs and together they entered the dining room.

"Help yourselves to the gravy," Luella said as she put plates laden with food on the table.

"Now, Gene," Martin began gruffly. "I heard you got yourself in a bit of trouble today."

It was not a question but invited Eugene to explain himself.

"I tried to break up a fight," Eugene said. "That's all."

"While your intentions were no doubt honourable, was it really wise?"

"No."

"Mother," Oliver interjected. "You'll be pleased to know I shared those chocolates with Mai."

"Oh did you? Oh good!" Luella's previously grave face transformed into a much happier one. "She is such a lovely girl! She's so polite! I don't know how she puts up with you at all."

"I mentioned the gathering this weekend," Oliver went on. "She seemed quite keen on the idea of getting everybody together."

"Well, of course she would," Luella said, smiling. "She must get so lonely in that boarding house! It's such a shame we can't invite her around more often. She needs a proper parent to look after her. I do hope you keep an eye out for her at school."

"Yes, Mother."

Oliver sent Eugene a look that said: I am putting up with this for you —you owe me.

Eugene could not express his gratitude enough.

"Maybe I ought to make her some snacks to take back to the boarding house with her," Luella went on. "Do you think she'd appreciate that Noll? You could help me if you like, I'm sure she'd love something you'd made after all."

"I have no intention of baking her anything."

"Oh you will never woo the girl if you keep that attitude. You are good at everything else you put your mind to, I don't see why baking would be any different. We'll do that after dinner. I think both of you should help."

"But I have homework," Oliver countered. His plan to help his brother had rapidly gotten out of hand.

"As do I," Eugene added.

"And you can both do it after we've baked something. Cupcakes perhaps," Luella mused. She drivelled on about various types of cakes and other bakes they could attempt together. The twins suffered in silence as even their father seemed to think it was a good idea.

Twenty minutes later, they were both stirring mixtures of cake batter while their mother rooted around for the cupcake trays.

"Ah, I've found them. Now where are the paper cases."

Oliver sighed deeply.

"Oh Noll, this won't take long," Luella scolded. "It isn't the end of the world that your homework has to wait ten minutes."

"Yeah, as long as we don't have to ice them as well," Eugene agreed.

"Oh, we definitely have to ice them! I bought some of that fancy vanilla frosting the other day and I've been dying to use it. Right, now spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases."

Oliver and Eugene split their mixtures into the cases and then placed the trays in the preheated oven.

"Now they should only take fifteen minutes or so, so if you want to lick the bowls out we've got time. Otherwise, we'll start clearing up."

Eugene took both bowls and began using his finger to scrape out the remaining mixture. He knew Oliver would not want any due to the sheer quantity of sugar involved.

Oliver set about clearing up the kitchen under his mother's guidance. By the time everything was clean again, the timer had gone off.

Luella pulled the trays from the oven to reveal a dozen golden brown cupcakes.

"Now we can't ice them just yet, they need to cool or the icing won't set," she explained. "So you've got about half an hour to go and do some work and then we'll frost them."

Oliver was out of the kitchen before she had even finished speaking. Eugene followed him up the stairs.

"I'll do the icing for yours," Eugene offered. "Thanks, for before."

Oliver nodded.

Eugene returned to his room and picked up his phone. He had entirely forgotten about Yasuhara's text!

 **Eugene: Sorry about the delay, had dinner.**

 **Yasuhara: No problem. Busy this evening?**

 **Eugene: Yeah, got tonnes of homework.**

 **Yasuhara: Sounds boring. Wanna come out?**

Eugene frowned at the suggestion. Despite his earlier fantasies he knew that sneaking out would be unwise.

 **Eugene: But you're not allowed out of the boarding house? You could get in trouble!**

 **Yasuhara: And you should get in trouble for being so cute.**

Eugene choked on thin air. He knew he had to reply, but his brain had stopped functioning. That had definitely been flirting.

Yasuhara was flirting with him.

He tried to wrap his head around it, but the idea did not quite compute.

 **Yasuhara: So what do you say?**

Eugene's mind ran through his options. He could leave the house, but that would be encouraging Yasuhara to break the rules. Or he could stay home and do homework. Despite the temptation, Eugene did not want to be an irresponsible friend.

 **Eugene: Sorry, I have to frost some cupcakes.**

It was only after he had sent the text that he realised how lame an excuse that sounded. Evidently, Yasuhara thought so too as he did not reply.

Cursing, Eugene flopped back on his bed. Anger at his own stupidity coursed through his veins. He grabbed his phone and opened the text messenger again. He did not want to leave the conversation with it sounding like he was not interested in Yasuhara. He _was_ interested in Yasuhara — though how far that interest went, he was not sure.

 **Eugene: I'll share one with you tomorrow if you like?**

He sent the message, hoping that it might repair some of the damage.

 **Yasuhara: Is that before or after my kiss? I just beat Mai!**

 **Eugene: I don't believe you.**

And he did not. No way had Yasuhara beaten Mai. Mai was a legend amongst the boarders for her skill at table tennis. What could beat a legend? A god perhaps? Eugene suppressed the thought of Yasuhara dressed like a Greek god and turned his attention back to his phone.

 **Yasuhara: Mai will corroborate my story.**

 **Eugene: How did you do it?**

 **Yasuhara: It was quite easy, but my tactics are a secret ;)**

 **Eugene: No fair!**

 **Yasuhara: I'll tell you in person… If you sneak out to see me tonight.**

Eugene's smile lessened. His heart burned with the desire to go and see Yasuhara. But his head disagreed with the sentiment and had several logical and sensible reasons why.

But Yasuhara did not give Eugene a chance to refuse.

 **Yasuhara: I'll meet you at 9 PM in the park. Bring me a cupcake.**

Yasuhara's request was ridiculous. Unreasonable. Ludicrous.

And yet…

He wanted to go.

"Boys, time to do the icing!"

Eugene jumped from his thoughts and rushed down the stairs. He offered a hasty excuse for Oliver's absence and set to work on the cupcakes. Luella had been kind enough to mix up the icing and scoop it into the piping bag so the task at hand was easier.

As Eugene squeezed out the vanilla frosting, he could not help but imagine licking the creamy mixture off of Yasuhara's outstretched finger.

This fantasy, in turn, inspired other fantasies regarding licking other liquids off of other appendages. Eugene tried to suppress these thoughts without much success as his face heated up.

Finishing the last cupcake's icing, Eugene decided.

He was going to see Yasuhara.

* * *

 **Author's note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last week's chapter! I hope you enjoyed this one and I can't wait to read your reviews! I have just finished chapter 37 and I am sooo close to completing not only this story but nanowrimo too!**

 **Please review with any questions, predictions and thoughts!**


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3

"I'm just gonna go for a walk," Eugene announced from the doorway to the living room where both his parents were watching a property programme.

"Oh, alright then dear," Luella replied. "Have you got a key? Don't be out too late."

"Yeah."

Though it was September, the nights had not yet drawn in and so he did not expect resistance from his parents.

Eugene patted his pocket until the tinkling sound assured him that his keys were inside. Satisfied that they were, he pulled on his waterproof jacket and headed out.

The walk to the park was not long, maybe five minutes or so. Eugene did not see anyone as he walked, but the sounds of birds assured him he was not entirely alone. It was a beautiful evening, the sky was just starting to darken as the sun slipped towards the horizon. The occasional cloud reflected the remaining sunlight so that it appeared to shine like a precious metal.

"You came," Yasuhara said by way of a greeting. He sat on the seat of a swing in the middle of the park.

"Yeah."

"Where is my cupcake?"

Eugene almost swore.

"I forgot it! Sorry! I'll bring it tomorrow, I promise!" Eugene watched as Yasuhara's face flashed in disappointment before smiling with a smug look in his eye.

"But I want it now," he said in a low voice. "So you owe me a kiss for beating Mai, and then I think I ought to punish you for forgetting my cupcake."

Eugene's face flushed before the blood drained elsewhere.

"P-Punish me?"

"Oh yes." Yasuhara jumped off his swing and stepped towards Eugene, who wanted to back away, yet found his feet rooted to the spot. "I was really looking forward to that cupcake."

"I…" Eugene tried to speak, tried to excuse his behaviour, but Yasuhara's dark eyes were boring into his own with such intensity that his brain stopped functioning.

"You?" Yasuhara questioned. He reached up and stroked the side of Eugene's face, leaving his hand cupped under his chin.

Eugene stopped breathing, his eyes flickering from Yasuhara's eyes to his soft, pink lips.

"Kiss me."

Eugene hesitated for a fraction of a second before closing his eyes and brushing his lips against Yasuhara's. He dared not open his eyes after pulling away. He had not expected Yasuhara's lips to be quite so soft as they appeared chapped from the harsh autumn winds.

"I thought I told you to kiss me."

Eugene's eyes snapped open. For a moment, Yasuhara looked almost angry.

"I…"

"You what? Don't know how to kiss?" Yasuhara's tone was harsh. "Then let me demonstrate."

Yasuhara's lips crashed into Eugene's with such urgency it was as if he would die without the contact between them.

Eugene followed Yasuhara's lead and reciprocated. He relished in the warmth of Yasuhara's lips and trembled at the way they moved against his own.

When Yasuhara finally pulled away, Eugene was left panting.

"Not bad," Yasuhara muttered, though Eugene was pleased that he looked slightly flustered. "But you need practice."

"Sorry."

Yasuhara frowned at the shame on Eugene's face. Then he grabbed Eugene's hand and pulled him away from the swings.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere more private."

Yasuhara led him to some trees near the edge of the park that gave them a little more privacy. He spun Eugene around and pushed him against a tree. Eugene winced as his back hit the bark. Heart pounding against his chest, his reflexes told him to run like a prey caught in the sights of a predator, but something deeper rooted him to the spot

"Much better," Yasuhara commented before planting his lips on Eugene's. Eugene's hands hung limply by his side until Yasuhara guided them around his own waist. Once there, he dared not move his hands from Yasuhara's waist, but he did pull him closer. He relished in the contact between their bodies.

The intimacy was addictive.

He never wanted the kiss to end.

He wanted to stay there forever until—

Yasuhara broke the kiss.

Before Eugene could complain, Yasuhara had kissed the spot just below Eugene's earlobe. Tingles shot down Eugene's spine as he shivered in pleasure.

A moan had escaped Eugene's lips as Yasuhara's lips pressed against his neck again, this time lower.

Then lower.

And lower.

Until he reached the neckline of Eugene's shirt.

"P-Please, don't…" Eugene whimpered, his fingers twitching as they pressed against Yasuhara.

"Don't want?" Yasuhara asked pausing in his attentions.

"Don't s-stop," Eugene begged.

Yasuhara obeyed. Working his way back up Eugene's neck before stopping to suck at the sensitive skin. Eugene's knees almost buckled. It was all he could do not to fall over. Yasuhara pressed his body harder against Eugene's and a stray finger worked its way under Eugene's shirt. The contact was so light it tickled.

Eugene did not want the feeling to stop. More moans escaped his lips as Yasuhara worked magic on his neck. Eugene's hands tightened on Yasuhara's shirt as he felt a finger trace the waistband of his trousers.

The exploratory digit worked its way under the hem and slid sideways. It did not touch anything other than Eugene's stomach, but it filled his mind with the idea of Yasuhara exploring further south.

Then the contact was gone.

A cold invaded Eugene's body as Yasuhara stepped back. He stood almost a metre away, straightening his shirt and avoiding Eugene's dazed eye.

"You should get home."

"W-What?"

"You should go home," Yasuhara stated, unfeeling. "It's late."

"Right," Eugene said dumbly. "So are we–"

"I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that, Yasuhara walked away.

Eugene watched him go. An autumn breeze ran over him and his body shivered now not from pleasure, but from the chilly air. Eugene's hand reached up and touched his own tender lips.

Eugene tucked his shirt back into his trousers, feeling dirty and wrong. He brushed his clothing down with his hands, wiping away non-existent stains. Blinking back tears he started forward but stumbled. His breathing was laboured. He reached for a nearby tree to steady himself.

Once he had gained control of his breathing, Eugene hastened to leave the park, yet he did not want to go home. He did not want to face his clean, untainted family.

Eugene took the longest route home he could manage without actually going back on himself. What on earth had that all meant? He had not been able to ignore Yasuhara's own excitement. Yasuhara obviously liked him. But he had just walked away like it had been nothing, like it had been a mistake…

Eugene could not make sense of it.

He slouched through the front door of the family home and headed straight up to his bedroom.

* * *

Eugene sank into his bed, trying to make sense of Yasuhara's actions. His body moving on autopilot when ten thirty rolled around. He entered the bathroom and brushed his teeth without conscious thought until Oliver appeared and broke him out of his daze.

"Did Yasuhara give you that?"

He spat out the remainder of the toothpaste and wiped his mouth.

"What?"

Then he looked in the mirror. On his neck, just under his ear, was an unmistakable purple bruise.

"Shit."

"I'll take that as a yes."

Oliver picked up his own toothbrush and began brushing his teeth while Eugene examined the damaged skin.

"My shirt collar is not going to hide that," he whined. "What am I going to do?"

Oliver shrugged.

"Have you ever given Mai a hickey?"

Oliver gave his brother a deadpan stare.

"Considering I have yet to hold her hand," Oliver said through a mouth full of foamy toothpaste. He rinsed his mouth out and looked to Eugene, who was still fretting over the hickey. "I imagine Mai or Masako would know how to cover it with makeup."

"Mai doesn't even wear makeup, surely you've noticed that," Eugene replied. Oliver shrugged, unbothered. "Considering you fancy her, you don't notice a lot, huh."

"I notice the things that matter," Oliver retorted. "Like her brain."

"He knows I'm clever," Eugene defended.

"Are you sure about that?"

Oliver did not wait for the retort, leaving the bathroom and Eugene more confused than ever.

X~X~X

The following day at school did not help Eugene's confusion one bit. The twins brought in their cupcakes and shared them at lunch. They had decided on the way to school to say that they were for everyone in their group to share so as to save them both the embarrassment of their mother's initial suggestion.

They also extended the invitation of a movie afternoon at their house that Saturday.

"Our parents will arrange it with the boarding house for you," Eugene explained to Yasuhara. "They've done it for Mai before."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "The teachers like Luella and Martin."

"Great," Yasuhara said. He smiled at Eugene as if they had not been making out against a tree the previous evening. He smiled as if they were just friends. Eugene frowned and subconsciously pulled up his collar.

He had texted Masako for help and she had pulled him aside as soon as they had both arrived at school to cover his neck. Eugene still was not sure how neither of his parents had noticed. Or maybe they had noticed and tactfully chose not to ask about it.

Masako had not asked any questions but had sent him several amused looks as she had worked her magic. Eugene had wanted to defend himself but knew that opening his mouth would only spell more trouble.

"I'm going to the library," Eugene announced as soon as he finished eating. "I'll see you guys later."

He did not wait for a reply, but left the table and headed straight to the library. Eugene tried to immerse himself in the Biology section. Their teachers had mentioned doing some extracurricular reading for their university application personal statement.

But none of the brightly coloured popular science books caught his eye.

"Hey."

Eugene did not look around, he knew who it was.

"What do you want?" he hissed.

"I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have left like that," Yasuhara admitted.

Eugene remained silent.

"I really like you, Gene. I didn't think kissing you would be so good."

Eugene held his silence once more, picking out a book and pretending to read the blurb.

"You overwhelmed me last night. So I ran away."

Eugene furrowed his brows. Yasuhara sounded almost timid. It did not quite fit with the confident and cocky Yasuhara from before.

"I want to kiss you again. Do you want to kiss me ag—"

"Yes."

Eugene answered quicker than he'd planned to, but there was no changing that now.

"So are we good?"

Eugene replaced the book and turned around to face Yasuhara.

"I—"

"If you two are going to have a natter, go and do it outside. This is a library!" the librarian, Mrs Robinson, screeched, causing absolutely everyone to look at them.

"Sorry, Mrs Robinson!" Eugene hitched his bag higher on his shoulder and walked away, knowing Yasuhara was following close behind.

"You covered it up."

"Huh?"

"The hickey I gave you. That was your punishment for forgetting my cupcake."

"Of course I covered it up!"

Eugene attempted to remain composed as his cheeks flushed red.

"I don't want it covered up," Yasuhara said in a low voice. He leant in closer and whispered," I wanted everyone to know you were mine."

Eugene spluttered to a stop and turned to face Yasuhara. But Yasuhara continued walking.

"Come on Gene, or you'll be late for Maths!"

* * *

 **Author's note: A short one, but I hope you enjoyed it... Please review!**


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

Saturday rolled around all too quickly for Eugene, who had spent his entire morning trying to finish his homework before everyone turned up. It was only the second week of term and yet he felt inundated by the sheer quantity of work.

Biology was by far the worst. It turned out that knowing 'the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell' was not nearly enough for A level. It made his brain hurt.

The desk in Eugene's bedroom was set up by his window. If he looked down at his desk, he had ridiculously detailed diagrams. If he looked up out of his window, he had grey clouds and pelting rain.

Neither particularly cheered him up.

His only ray of sunshine was the thought of Yasuhara coming later. After a feisty few days, Yasuhara had toned it down.

However, Eugene found the change both disconcerting and disappointing. Doubt crept into Eugene's mind; what if Yasuhara wasn't really that interested in him…? What if he thought those kisses were a mistake? Despite this, Eugene's heartbeat increased at the thought of his arrival.

The doorbell rang.

Eugene piled up his books and cleared his desk. He jumped down the stairs four at a time and got to the door before Luella had left the kitchen.

"Masako!" he greeted her with a hug and took her umbrella. "Let me put that somewhere for you."

"Thanks, it's horrible out there."

Masako slipped her shoes off and placed them on the shoe rack.

"Yeah, I would've thought it would have let up by now," Eugene said.

"I tried to text Mai, to offer her a lift but she didn't reply."

Eugene paused in the action of propping the umbrella up, he had not offered Yasuhara a lift.

"Oh dear."

"Where's Noll?"

"Probably still sulking in his room, shall we go find him?"

"May as well."

The two teens bounded up the stairs and knocked on Oliver's door. He did not answer, but they entered anyway. Oliver was sat at his desk, reading.

"What do you want?"

"You really are cheerful, huh," Masako commented.

Oliver sighed.

"We need Mai to turn up and make him some tea," Eugene teased.

"Because Mai's tea is just so much better," Masako went on.

They both smirked as Oliver sat resolutely ignoring them both.

"Did you know he slips chocolate into her bag when she isn't looking?" Eugene asked Masako.

"Well everyone knows that you never tell a girl that you like her," Masako quoted. "It makes you look like an idiot."

Eugene grinned in recognition before glancing back to his brother.

"If you two are done being loud, perhaps you could leave?"

"But Mai will be here soon," Eugene countered.

"And when there is hope for an intelligent conversation, I will join you all. Until then, I will remain here."

Masako rolled her eyes.

"Come on Gene."

She dragged him away and they were halfway down the stairs when the doorbell rang again. Luella did beat them this time. Opening the door, she found two drowned rats.

"Hello ma'am, you must be Eugene and Oliver's mother," Yasuhara said. Mai sniggered at his over the top attitude.

"Oh, my dears come in! We better get you out of those wet clothes!" Luella said.

They stepped inside and pulled off their soaked shoes.

"Gene, be a dear and find your friend something dry to wear. Mai, go and bother Noll to find you something. You can borrow one of my t-shirts if you like, he'll know where to look. Masako, would you help me make everyone some hot chocolate to warm up?"

"Of course," Masako said, following Luella to the kitchen and out of sight.

The remaining trio headed up the stairs. Mai knocked on Oliver's door before entering. Yasuhara followed Eugene to his bedroom and shut the door behind them.

"You aren't too much bigger than me," Eugene said. "But I have some loose trackies and t-shirts that should fit…" He rummaged through a few drawers, pulling out various items of clothing.

He turned around, several items of clothing in one hand, to find Yasuhara almost naked.

He had stripped off his wet clothing and piled it up. Eugene fought down a blush, Yasuhara had to take his clothes off, they were wet. It was for no other reason, right?

"Like what you see?"

Blushing, Eugene bit his lip. Yasuhara smirked and beckoned him closer.

Eugene obeyed.

Yasuhara reached in and kissed him softly on the lips, prompting Eugene to drop the clothes in his hands. He could feel Yasuhara smiling as he deepened the kiss. Yasahara's hands snaked around Eugene's waist.

"It's so hard to concentrate in Maths with you beside me," Yasuhara whispered when they broke apart. "All I can think about is doing this to you."

He pulled Eugene closer as his lips reclaimed Eugene's. Yasuhara's hands snaking down his back until they rested on his bum. Eugene copied the action, noting the softness of Yasuhara's skin as he did so.

"You should put some clothes on," Eugene managed between kisses.

"You want me to put clothes on?"

"N-No."

"Then shut up and kiss me."

And he did.

Yasuhara ran his hands through Eugene's hair, eliciting a groan. Their lips fought against each other, desperately gasping for air every time they pulled apart.

Until his brother walked in. Eugene heard the door open and saw the familiar figure in the doorway out of the corner of his eye.

"Noll!" Eugene exclaimed, jumping back from Yasuhara who did not even look remotely embarrassed.

"The girls want to make popcorn. Do you want some? Or are you otherwise engaged?" Oliver deadpanned.

"What flavour?" Yasuhara asked. Eugene could not believe how he was brazenly asking questions in his boxers.

"Butter or toffee."

"Toffee sounds great."

Oliver made to leave but paused in the doorway.

"We'll be starting the film in five minutes or so, if you care to join us."

He left, shutting the door on his way out.

"Oh, my…" Eugene sank to the floor. "His face! He—"

"Oh calm down."

Yasuhara scooped up the clothing Eugene had dropped and pulled on the t-shirt.

"You have a boner! You are standing there in my room with a boner and my brother walked in!"

"So? He knows I'm attracted to you. Big deal."

"Like a really obvious sticking out and everything boner."

"He's male," Yasuhara said as he slipped into the trackies. "I don't think he's going to be entirely phased by a boner. Besides, you have one too."

"Yeah but I have trousers on!"

"And that hides it so well."

Eugene looked down. His trousers had done little to hide his body's reaction to their intimate moment.

"Oh shit. This is so awkward." Eugene sank to the floor with a groan.

"I am sure that he's had an awkward boner before too."

"What if he tells the others?"

"Tells the others what? That we kissed?"

"No," Eugene replied. "About the…"

"Really? You think he would?"

Eugene's mind ran through the possibilities presented to him. Oliver would not tell them outright. But if the girls asked what was taking them so long, Eugene knew that Oliver would not lie.

"I don't know."

"You're being ridiculous. Come on."

Yasuhara helped Eugene to his feet and they headed downstairs to the living room.

"Glad you could join us," Masako said, smirking. Eugene scanned the room to find that Mai, clad in what Eugene recognised as one of Oliver's t-shirts and pyjamas bottoms, was blushing and Oliver was occupied with adjusting the television settings.

"I was wrong," Yasuhara whispered as they took their seats. "I think he told them."

Eugene could not reply. He covered his reddening face with his hands and stayed like that until the film began.

"What are we watching?" Yasuhara asked the group at large.

"The second Star Trek film, Masako and Mai have not seen it," Oliver answered, not looking away from the screen.

"Really? But it's great!" Yasuhara looked to the girls, scandalised.

"So be quiet and let them watch it."

Eugene frowned at his brother. He knew Oliver was a hard person to read, but he reckoned that anyone could tell something was bothering his twin right now. Oliver's body was tense, his jaw taut and his eyes unfocused.

Oliver had even ignored Mai's hopeful glances.

Eugene's preoccupation with his concern for Oliver led to him missing the looks Yasuhara sent his way. More than once, Yasuhara presented his hand for Eugene to take, but when Eugene did not notice he withdrew.

Mai and Masako gushed about the film when it finally ended until Luella called them all through for dinner.

Yasuhara engaged Martin in a conversation about politics while Mai one again set about reassuring Luella that she was being fed plenty in the boarding house.

After dinner, Martin offered to drive their guests home, but due to lack of space in the car, the twins had to remain at home.

"Boys, what do you want to do for your birthday on Monday?" Luella asked as they cleared up the kitchen.

"I don't know," Eugene answered. Between his schoolwork and Yasuhara, Eugene had completely forgotten that their birthday was so close.

"Your father suggested we go out for dinner, what do you think? I know you won't want a big fuss made, so we thought a nice family meal somewhere would be suitable?" Luella suggested.

"Okay," Oliver agreed. "May I be excused?"

"Of course."

Eugene watched his brother leave.

"Gene, is Noll okay? Did he and Mai fight?"

"I don't think so," Eugene answered with a frown. "I'll talk to him."

"Please do. I don't want to pry. I know you're both growing up but I do worry about you," Luella admitted. She held her arms open and Eugene leant in for a brief hug.

"We're okay, Mum."

"I know." Luella released her son. "But we are here for you if you want to talk." Eugene nodded and left the kitchen to head upstairs to his brother's room.

He knocked and entered.

"Luella is worried about you."

Oliver was sat on his bed, reading what looked like a textbook, though Eugene did not recognise it as one of their standard school ones.

He turned a page.

"Noll, please don't ignore me."

"I am not ignoring you."

"You've been agitated all day."

"No, I have not."

"You have—"

"No, I have been agitated since walking in on you and Yasuhara," Oliver corrected.

Eugene blinked in confusion.

"What about it?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

"He is a bad influence."

"How?" Eugene demanded. But when Oliver did not speak, he went on. "Or are you just jealous someone wants to kiss me and not you!"

Eugene knew his words made no sense. He knew Mai wanted Oliver. But he wanted to hurt his brother. How dare Oliver insult Yasuhara like that? How dare he?

"You are acting overly emotional. Please leave and come back when you have calmed down," Oliver said dully.

Eugene growled at his brother.

"Why can't you just be happy for me? Or is it because I'm g-gay? Is that the issue?"

"I could not care less who you hold interest in. Please leave."

Oliver's indifference only angered Eugene further.

"Look at me!" he snarled. Oliver sighed and turned to face Eugene. "Yasuhara has made me happy! How on earth is he a bad influence?"

"Look at yourself, Gene," Oliver said, wiping away a speck of spit from his face. "You've known him less than a week. You are not acting like the person I know."

Eugene spluttered in fury before storming from Oliver's bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well here is another chapter! I'm sure I had something important to say but I can't remember... Ah well! Enjoy and please review :)**


	5. Part 1: Chapter 5

Eugene was so angry with his brother that the following day, he did not leave his room. Well, that was a slight lie. He left only to eat and use the bathroom. Luella had questioned this action, but Eugene reassured her that he was just concentrating on his homework.

Oliver apparently did not notice anything. Or if he did, he made no effort to reconcile with Eugene.

The situation had not improved come Monday.

Technically, the twins walked to school together. But Eugene walked ten paces behind with music blasting through his headphones. Oliver walked ahead, with his nose in a book. But Eugene knew Oliver was somewhat distracted, as when they arrived at school, his twin walked straight past Mai, who was clutching two envelopes, to the Sixth Form common room.

"What's wrong with Oliver?" Mai asked, trying to hide her hurt feelings.

"No idea," Eugene muttered.

"I've got your card here," Mai said. She checked the names before handing one over.

"Thanks," Eugene said as he took it.

"Yasuhara is annoyed with you."

"What?"

"You never told him it was your birthday. You really ought to tell your boyfriend those sorts of things."

"He's not— We're not— I forgot."

Mai smiled at the blush on his cheeks.

"You're so cute."

"I'm not!"

"Gene!"

The two teenagers spun around to see Masako walking towards them.

"Hey!"

"Happy birthday!"

She hugged him and handed over her own card.

"Thanks."

"Now why didn't you tell your boyfriend that today is your birthday?" Masako asked.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Aren't I?"

Eugene spun around to see Yasuhara standing behind him with a serious expression on his face.

"I— Well. Um." Eugene gulped. "If you… Um…"

"Do you not want to be my boyfriend?"

"I d-do."

The school bell rang, signalling the start of registration.

"Good," Yasuhara said with a satisfied smirk. "See you later, birthday boy."

Yasuhara turned and strode away. Eugene stared at him,or rather the motion of his bum as he walked, for a moment until the sound of giggling broke his concentration.

"What?"

"You two are so adorable," Mai teased.

"Come on, we'll be late," Masako said from behind her hand. The two girls sprinted off, still giggling, leaving Eugene peering dumbly after them.

Eventually, Eugene made his way to registration. He apologised to the teacher, and was about to take the seat next to Oliver but remembered he was annoyed with him.

Instead, he chose to sit one seat away, a lone chair separating them.

The class representative read out the weekly announcements but Eugene ignored them. He relived the moment in his head; Yasuhara wanted to be his boyfriend.

Eugene was so caught up in the idea he did not realise the class had been dismissed until Oliver brushed roughly past him.

Eugene scowled before standing up and leaving the classroom.

* * *

In their Maths lesson, Oliver left an open space between them to mirror Eugene's earlier action. Yasuhara frowned, opening his mouth but closing it abruptly as he noticed Eugene's sour expression. Instead, they worked in silence through the problems on geometric series.

"I want you to meet me tonight," Yasuhara whispered at the end of lesson. "So I can give you your present."

"What? Where?"

"In the park again."

Eugene blinked as his mind raced back to their previous trip to the park.

"And as you're the birthday boy, I'll be treating you."

Eugene swallowed. He tried to focus on putting his books away but somehow managed to drop his pencil case on the floor. He fumbled to pick everything up as Yasuhara waited.

"Come on, I'm pretty sure the girls have got a surprise for you and Oliver."

"They do?" Eugene asked as he followed Yasuhara from the classroom.

"It's your birthday, what do you expect?"

Eugene did not answer. But sure enough, when they reached the canteen, Masako produced a birthday cake seemingly from nowhere. Their proper lunch lay somewhat forgotten as they gorged themselves on cake. Only Oliver did not have a piece, despite Mai's attempts at coercion.

"But Masako slaved for hours making this!"

"It is a shop bought cake," Oliver deadpanned.

"He's got me there," Masako said, smiling.

"Plus Oliver doesn't like milk chocolate," Eugene added. He had not meant to say it but brushed the comment off by eating another piece of cake.

The end of the day came all too slowly for Eugene. He had been trying to guess all day what sort of gift Yasuhara could be giving him. Eugene had an inkling that it would not be a materialistic present.

Yet when he arrived home, his plans were scuppered.

"Right, I've laid out some nice clothes on your beds, boys," Luella said. "Please get changed before we go out for dinner. We have reservations for six thirty."

"What?!" Eugene had forgotten all about their birthday dinner.

"I booked some reservations at that nice little Italian place, the ones that were good about Noll not wanting cheese on his pizza last time. They were so accommodating."

"Yeah… I'll just go and get changed then…"

Oliver had an undeniable smirk on his face all through dinner. Luella and Martin mistook it for a smile, but Eugene knew the truth. Oliver was glad he was going to miss seeing Yasuhara, especially as his phone had died and he had been unable to warn him about it.

Eugene plugged in his mobile as soon as he got home and waited with baited breath to text an apology to Yasuhara. Yet when he did, Yasuhara never replied.

* * *

The following morning, Yasuhara was waiting for Eugene by the school gates. He did not respond to Eugene's timid greeting, but grabbed his hand and dragged him into the school.

"Where are we going?"

But Yasuhara did not speak. Eugene tried to work out where on earth they could be going. He had to know the school better than Yasuhara, right?

Yet every idea Eugene had was blown out of the water when Yasuhara pushed him into a boys' bathroom.

"What are you doing?"

Yasuhara checked each of the stalls for occupants. Once satisfied they were empty, he grabbed a yellow sign from under a sink. It read: cleaning in progress.

"Yasuhara?"

Yasuhara opened the door to the bathroom and propped the sign up outside.

"Now we will not be disturbed."

"Disturbed? I have registration any minute, what is going on?" Eugene asked in an attempt to inject some strength into his voice.

"You didn't turn up," Yasuhara stated. "And so now—" he pushed Eugene against the wall with a single hand, "—I am going to punish you."

"I told you! I had to go to dinner with my—"

"I don't care," Yasuhara growled.

Eugene pouted indignantly.

"That isn't fair!"

"Shut up. I don't want to hear your excuses."

To emphasise his point, Yasuhara grabbed Eugene's tie and balled it up before shoving it into his mouth. Eugene's eyes widened in shock.

"Better."

Eugene tried to spit it out, but Yasuhara covered his mouth.

"Nuh-uh. Make a noise and I'll stop."

Eugene fought to pry Yasuhara's hand away, but to no avail. He was just not strong enough. Yasuhara let out a husky chuckle as Eugene's heart pounded in his chest. Yasuhara grabbed both of Eugene's hands in one of his own and pinned them above his head.

With his free hand, Yasuhara undid Eugene's trouser button. Eugene's eyes shut tight and he tried again to spit the tie out.

"No," Yasuhara said, halting Eugene's movements. "You didn't turn up so I'm not playing nice." Yasuhara slowly undid Eugene's fly. "Now enjoy your birthday present, _quietly_."

Eugene gulped and closed his eyes. He shuddered as Yasuhara's hand worked its way into his underpants.

"Eager I see."

Eugene gasped as Yasuhara took hold of him. His hand caressed as reason left Eugene's thoughts.

He forgot he was in the bathroom at school.

He forgot that the bell was going to ring any minute.

He forgot everything except the wonderful warm sensation that flooded his body.

Of course, Eugene had done things alone. But this was different.

Maybe it was Yasuhara's ragged breath against his neck.

Maybe it was the danger of being somewhere so public.

Maybe it was the fact that it was Yasuhara's coarse hand instead of his own.

But at this point, Eugene did not care.

He bit into the tie as the pleasure grew.

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to grab Yasuhara and pull him closer.

He wanted to share this feeling.

But he could not make noise because Yasuhara would stop. He wished his arms were free so he could touch Yasuhara.

"Do you want to cum?"

Eugene whimpered before nodding. He opened his eyes to see Yasuhara's eyes boring into his own.

"But you've been naughty. You didn't come and see me last night. I'm not sure you deserve this."

Eugene's knees almost buckled as Yasuhara ranked it up a notch. He whined against the tie, wanting to beg for a release.

"Yet… Seeing you like this… It makes me want to see you unravel."

Eugene shivered as Yasuhara whispered the final word into his ear.

"Go on," Yasuhara went on. "Cum."

The word acted like a trigger on Eugene's body. Pleasure flooded through him and his limbs lost all strength. Yasuhara released Eugene's arms and stepped away as he came down from the orgasm.

Eugene panted, struggling to breathe with the tie in his mouth. He glanced down to see semen splattered on his clothing. The sensation of the fabric on his skin felt emphasised as his other sense reconnected to the rest of the world. His hearing picked up on the sound of the pipes, had they been that noisy before?

He looked up to see Yasuhara washing his hands.

"You should clean yourself up. You're a mess," he said as he turned the tap off. "Classes start soon and you don't want to be seen like that."

Then without so much as a second glance, Yasuhara left the bathroom.

Eugene stumbled into a toilet stall and locked the door behind him. He reached for toilet paper to clean away the semen as he spat the tie out of his mouth.

It was no different to masturbating at home, he told himself.

And yet it was.

Why had Yasuhara just left like that? The warmth that had filled him moments before drained away. A cold shiver ran up his arms as he flushed the evidence away. Eugene tucked in his shirt and did his trousers up.

His reflection greeted him in the mirror as he stepped out of the stall.

While he looked almost as smart and as presentable as he had done when he walked into the bathroom. Something felt wrong.

Eugene straightened his blazer and tie. He ruffled his hair so that it fell better. He tried to smile. He thought he could see where tiny bits of toilet roll on his shirt where he had rubbed at the fabric. A faint line was visible where the semen had landed, or could Eugene see it because he expected it?

The bell rang.

"Shit."

Eugene scooped up his bag and sprinted from the bathroom, only then realising he had missed the entirety of registration.

* * *

"Gene? Gene! Wait up," Mai called at the end of the school day. Eugene waited for her to catch up. "Are you okay? You didn't sit with us at lunch…"

"I'm fine."

"Look, do you know what's wrong with Oliver?" she went on. "He's been off all day and—"

"So? He's just being an arse," Eugene muttered with a scowl. "It's no different to usual."

"Gene…" Mai's voice softened. She reached an arm out and placed it on Eugene's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Don't touch me," Eugene spat. He wrenched his arm around and pushed Mai away from him. She fell back from his strength and landed on the floor.

"Oww…"

"Mr Davis, Miss Taniyama," a stern voice said. "I hope you two are not fighting."

Eugene looked around to see Miss Smith.

"She touched me without permission," he said quickly.

Mai scrambled to her feet.

"I was trying to make sure you were okay!"

"And I told you I was fine! It's not my fault that Noll doesn't want to kiss you! So leave me alone!"

Mai's lip trembled for a moment before she ran away with tears streaming down her face.

"Mr Davis, that was—"

Eugene did not wait to hear what she said. He strode out of the school gates and started on his way home.

He stormed into the Davis household, kicked off his shoes and was about to stomp up the stairs when Luella appeared in front of him.

"Where is your brother?"

"I don't know."

"Gene," Luella warned.

Eugene growled and tried to get past his mother. But she remained in the way of the staircase.

"Who has upset you?"

"No one."

"Then what is wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Gene, come here." Luella pulled her son into an unwilling hug. "I know A levels are stressful. But we are here for you."

Eugene did not pull away from the embrace.

"I know," he whispered.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"I'll make you a sandwich then." Luella released her son. "Go and get changed, hmm?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't you go for another walk after you've eaten? Would that help? Get out and clear your head."

"Okay. Thanks, Mum."

Luella headed to the kitchen and Eugene bounded up the stairs. He pulled his phone straight out of his pocket and texted Yasuhara.

 **Eugene: Want to meet in the park? Twenty minutes?**

He did not wait for a reply, but stripped off his school uniform and pulled on more casual clothing. Eugene checked his reflection in the mirror. Dissatisfied with his choice of t-shirt, he changed it. His second choice looked mildly better, so Eugene stuck with it.

He pocketed his phone and left his room. Oliver had just arrived home. Eugene ignored him as he headed for the kitchen.

"I made you cheese and ham," Luella said. Eugene grabbed the sandwich and bit into it. Missing lunch had not been a good idea. "Was that Noll I heard?"

Eugene grunted.

"I'm going to head out now, thanks, Mum."

"Okay dear, don't be out too late."

Eugene practically skipped out of the house with his sandwich. He checked his phone as he finished his food.

 **Yasuhara: Sure.**

Eugene grinned before realisation hit him. They had not spoken since… That thought brought back the entire ordeal. He shook his head to clear the memories. He had enjoyed it. It was fine.

Eugene arrived at the park before Yasuhara, but not by long. He had no sooner taken a seat on a swing when he saw Yasuhara enter the park.

"Hey."

"Why did you leave so quickly this morning?"

Yasuhara sat down on the adjacent swing.

"I knew the bell was about to go. I don't have a great record like you do. I couldn't afford to be late. You wouldn't want me to get in trouble, would you?"

"No."

"I didn't want to leave you like that," he went on. "I would have loved to stay with you."

Eugene nodded, unable to speak for a moment.

"You didn't have to do that. It isn't worth getting yourself in trouble."

"You are worth getting in trouble for."

Eugene blushed.

"I was thinking," Yasuhara went on. "We could go shopping this weekend? I want to buy you a real birthday present."

"You don't have to do that either."

"I know, but I want to! If you aren't going to let me spoil you for your birthday, when will you? Huh?"

"Fine, but nothing expensive," Eugene insisted.

"Mai told me about this nice sushi restaurant near the shopping centre, we should get lunch too." Yasuhara grinned as Eugene blushed a deeper red. "It'll be fun."

"Yeah," Eugene mumbled. He bit his lip before smiling back at Yasuhara. A warm feeling was spreading through his chest, the bad feelings from the morning subsiding.

Of course! Yasuhara had to get to class on time, who would Eugene be to deny him that?

"I can't stay long. I'm not supposed to be out at all."

"I know, I'm sorry for asking," Eugene said. He stared at his shoes for a moment. "I just really wanted to see you."

"You snapped at Mai, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Why? She was really upset."

"You saw her?" Eugene asked. Yasuhara nodded. "I don't know. She kept asking about Noll. And he's been a dick lately. I should apologise to Mai. She was only worried."

Shame bubbled up inside Eugene.

"Yeah, you should."

Eugene's head spun around so fast his neck cracked.

"I will."

* * *

The rest of the school week did not go well for Eugene. Mai accepted his apology but was obviously still unhappy with him. As a result, Masako also gave him funny looks.

Oliver downright ignored Eugene until Friday, when he approached him in a corridor to ask if he could borrow his chemistry textbook. Eugene did not manage to answer him though, as the sound of another voice invaded his ears.

"I heard he got expelled for shagging a teacher."

"Who?"

"The new boarder. The one that stole the alcohol."

"He stole alcohol?"

"Yeah, apparently he tried to get one of the 5th years drunk with it."

Eugene spun around and saw two boarders he vaguely recognised.

"Hey, who are you talking about?" he asked, trying to remain calm.

"What's it to you?" one of the boarders replied.

"Just curious."

"The new guy, Osamu? Is that his name?"

"Yeah," the other said.

"That's all bullshit," Eugene stated. "None of those things are true."

"The alcohol thing is true. Mr Craven was raving about it."

"That's a lie."

Rage consumed Eugene as he strode towards the two boarders. He knew he had no proof of his words. But it had to be a lie. No way would Yasuhara do that.

"No, it's not."

Eugene's fist rose without conscious thought. His knuckles smacked into the other boy's face with a satisfying thwack.

"Ah shit. What the heck was that for?"

"It's a lie!"

"Whatever."

The two boys slunk away, leaving Eugene staring after them.

"I just punched him."

Eugene turned to see Oliver's disappointed face. He had never seen it look like that before. Eugene expected Oliver to speak, but alas, he just walked away.

"Noll? Noll, don't you want my textbook?"

"Forget it."

Eugene's eyes welled with tears. He slammed his fist into the wall and swore as pain flamed down his arm. Acutely aware of the fact that he had a lesson starting soon, Eugene strode towards the common room. He had to find Yasuhara.

He had to know.

But he could not locate Yasuhara anywhere and ended up running to his lesson, only just making it on time. Eugene spent the entire lesson waiting to be called out for hitting that guy, but it never happened.

He was relieved about this, but could not help but wonder if it was because no one wanted to admit to being punched by someone like him.

* * *

 **Author's note: Oooooops I was supposed to update this yesterday but I kinda got distracted because it was TeaAddictedGhostHunter's birthday so ooopppss! But you have this chapter now!**

 **Please review with your predictions and thoughts! I love reading them :)**


	6. Part 1: Chapter 6

Saturday could not come soon enough. Eugene spent all morning pulling his entire wardrobe apart trying to find something to wear.

None of his t-shirts seemed to fit anymore. They were all either too short or too tight. Eugene supposed that a tight t-shirt wouldn't be so bad if he had some muscle to show off. But he did not. His body was skin and bone. Any traces of abs that could be seen were due to the fact that he had a fast metabolism rather than from effort on his behalf.

After ruling out his normal t-shirts, he discarded his button up shirts too. The shopping centre would be warm and he didn't want to end up sweaty in a cotton shirt that would clearly show sweat marks.

Finally, in the back of a drawer, he found a navy blue polo shirt. Eugene had a strong suspicion that it was Oliver's, but he did not check this fact. He pulled it on. It was long enough and just loose enough not to emphasise his skinny body. And it went well with his jeans.

"This will have to do."

Eugene then spent ten minutes trying to find two matching socks. And a further ten minutes agonising over whether converses or trainers would be better. Converses would look better, but trainers were more comfortable for walking around for a long time.

Converses won in the end.

This was going to be something like a date, Eugene thought. And if it was going to be their first date, he had every reason to want to look his best.

The doorbell rang at exactly eleven o'clock. Eugene ran down the stairs and raced to open the door.

"Hey!"

But Yasuhara was not alone. Mai was standing next to him, shuffling her feet.

"Hey," Eugene replied.

"Why don't you invite them in for a moment?" Luella called from the kitchen. Eugene blinked and stepped aside, allowing them to enter.

"Oh, Mai! I didn't know you were coming too!"

"I'm not, I just need to go to town too so Yasuhara said I should walk with them. I won't bother them once I get there!"

"Oh, you shouldn't be all by yourself wandering around town! It's not safe! Hang on," Luella said, smiling deviously. "I have an idea. Noll! Noll dear, come down!"

Mai went scarlet and Eugene groaned, while Yasuhara chuckled behind a hand.

"No, please Mrs Davis, you really don't need to—"

"How many times have I asked you to call me Luella?"

"What is it, Mother?" Oliver asked from the top of the stairs.

"I need you to go to town."

"Please, I'll be fine," Mai insisted. She looked just about ready to get down on her hands and knees and beg. Eugene was confident he and Yasuhara could escape from Mai and Oliver, but he did feel for the girl.

"Mai needs you to accompany her," Luella went on, ignoring Mai. "I don't want her shopping by herself. It's getting darker earlier now and I would feel so much better if you kept an eye on her."

"And Eugene and Yasuhara are incapable of doing this?"

"Yes," Yasuhara piped up. "I'm afraid Gene and I are just not up for the job, are we?"

"No, not at all."

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"I have homework to do."

"And you can do that when you get back," Luella said. "It'll do you good to get out of that room of yours. So go and put some shoes and a jacket on."

Oliver rolled his eyes again for good measure before returning to his room.

Eugene glanced at Mai, she appeared to be trying not to hyperventilate.

"I'm g-going to w-wait outside," she stammered.

Once she had left, Yasuhara leant into Eugene's shoulder and whispered.

"Guess what she needs to buy."

"What?"

"New bras."

Eugene snorted.

"Really?"

"Yup."

Oliver joined them a few minutes later and Luella waved them all away.

Eugene and Yasuhara let Mai and Oliver take a slight lead over them. They remained silent as Mai attempted to persuade Oliver out of following her around.

"Bookshops! You like bookshops. You can go and look around Waterstones or whatever and I will do my shopping and your mum doesn't need to know that you weren't with me."

"You want me to lie to my mother?"

"Yes— No. Yes!"

"That is not conducive to maintaining a healthy relationship with my mother."

"She'd never know the difference!" Mai insisted.

"Do you not want to spend time with me?"

"Of course I do but—"

"Then what is the problem?" Oliver asked.

"I think steam is about to come out of her ears," Eugene muttered to Yasuhara.

"I wonder if she'll tell him…"

Mai did not tell Oliver.

Eugene and Yasuhara were so distracted they forgot to desert their two friends as Mai danced closer to Marks and Spencer before finding some reason to avoid entry.

"She's been doing this for too long now," Yasuhara commented.

"Maybe we should intervene?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Yasuhara grabbed Eugene's hand as they started forwards towards Mai and Oliver.

"Mai," Eugene began.

"Yes?"

"We think you need to stop avoiding the issue."

"What issue?" Oliver asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Mai needs a new—" Yasuhara started, but was unable to finish due to Mai launching herself at him.

"No! Shut up! Shut up now! I hate you!" Mai squealed.

Oliver looked to Eugene for answers. Mai was so distracted with Yasuhara's teasing that Eugene felt he would not end up in the firing line if he revealed the secret.

"Bra," he mouthed.

Oliver sighed and caught hold of one of Mai's flailing hands.

"Let go! I need to beat him to a bloody pulp—"

"Where do you need to go for underwear?" Oliver deadpanned.

Mai choked.

"Who told you? Gene, was it you? I will murder you too!"

"Marks and Sparks," Yasuhara supplied. Oliver turned on his heel and pulled Mai away.

"I hate you both!" she yelled back over her shoulder.

Yasuhara and Eugene dissolved into laughter.

"Hungry?" Yasuhara managed a few minutes later.

"Yeah."

"Come on then. What do you fancy?"

"Apart from you?" Eugene retorted, blushing at his own daring comment.

"You can have me for dessert." Yasuhara winked. "How about some overpriced sushi?"

"Sure," Eugene blurted, desperately trying not to imagine Yasuhara covered in whipped cream.

Linking hands, they headed to the sushi restaurant Yasuhara had spotted earlier. They were promptly seated in a little booth. On one side, a conveyor belt carried various coloured plates loaded with different types of sushi.

"Help yourself," Yasuhara said as he grabbed some salmon and avocado California rolls. Eugene leant towards the conveyor belt, watching as the plates zoomed past. He eventually settled for a plate of cucumber hosomaki.

Yasuhara had already begun eating his as Eugene searched for something.

"Where are the chopsticks?" he asked, indicating the pair held by Yasuhara.

"Did you not have some on your side? They must've forgotten," he replied. "Never mind. I'll help you."

He grabbed a piece of Eugene's maki and held it up for him to eat. Eugene, determined not to blush, maintained eye contact as he took it in his mouth.

"Such a small piece," Yasuhara commented as he dipped one of his own pieces in soy sauce. "I think you need something bigger."

He gazed over the food on offer as he chewed. Eugene's eyes glanced between Yasuhara's face and the conveyor belt, unsure what he had in mind. Yasuhara's fingers caught a red plate with two futomaki artfully arranged on it.

"Perfect. Soy sauce?"

Eugene shook his head.

"I could just ask for some chop—"

"Now take this all in one," Yasuhara ordered. He held the piece of futomaki up and Eugene blinked, sure that there was no way it would fit in his mouth in one bite.

"But—"

"Quickly, I don't want to drop it."

Eugene hurried forward and tried to wrap his mouth around the futomaki. He got most of the way before cheating and crushing a bit with his tongue.

"I was thinking of taking you clothes shopping," Yasuhara said in a tone that suggested they were discussing the weather.

Eugene swallowed his food down hard.

"Why?" he managed, reaching to pour himself some water.

"For your birthday present," Yasuhara went on. "Not that you look bad or anything. But those jeans look tatty and that polo really does nothing for you."

"I grew over the summer, none of my nice t-shirts fit anymore…"

"Sure."

Eugene sipped at his water to avoid showing his disappointment. He knew he did not have the nicest clothing, to be honest, he had never really cared before. As long as his clothing choice was comfortable, it had not mattered that much what they had looked like.

Eugene went to pick up another piece of maki with his fingers, but Yasuhara swatted his hand away with the chopsticks.

"No, let me."

Yasuhara fed him another cucumber hosomaki before taking piece for himself.

"What do you have in mind?" Eugene asked, staring at the plates of food whizzing past. He grabbed a plate consisting of a singular temaki roll, knowing he would have to eat that with his fingers.

Ignoring Yasuhara's low growl as he bit into the food, he waited for a response. Yasuhara glared at the temaki roll for a moment before speaking.

"TKmaxx is always a good start for nice stuff," he said. "Though I haven't checked this one out yet. The one near me in London was great."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It always had a good range of actual designer stuff. Sometimes they have these weird supposed designers that no one has heard of…"

"Hmm."

"But if not, Hollister's jeans are usually good. They have a better range of sizes I think than Topman…"

Eugene nodded mutely, unsure of what to say. Physical pain flared in his heart. He knew he didn't look his best today, but he thought he looked alright. But Yasuhara didn't think so...

"Open wide."

Eugene's mouth obeyed without conscious effort. He took the new piece of maki and almost spat it straight out.

"Spicy!" he hissed after swallowing it. Yasuhara roared in laughter.

"You were so out of it there!"

"That was mean! I don't like spicy stuff," Gene moaned as he reached to refill his water.

"I thought you liked it hot…"

"Not that kind of hot! My mouth is on fire!"

Yasuhara guffawed as Eugene suffered.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they had eaten their fill and Yasuhara paid. He smirked at Eugene as he left a generous tip.

"Come on."

Yasuhara and Eugene walked hand in hand to TKmaxx.

"The men's section is upstairs," Eugene offered as he noticed Yasuhara searching.

"Great."

Within minutes, Yasuhara was searching through the racks of designer clothes for something he deemed suitable for Eugene.

Eugene did not know what to do. He wanted to have a look around himself, but could not help but feel extremely self-conscious about absolutely anything he might choose. So instead, he stood just behind Yasuhara and waited.

"Eugh, these jeans are lame. We need something that'll show off your bum," Yasuhara muttered. "What size are you?"

"I normally wear a 30 waist so it's a bit baggy," Eugene mumbled.

"Wow, I didn't realise you were so skinny. You could do with some muscle on you."

"I've always been skinny."

"Don't worry about it, it's cute," Yasuhara said, smiling.

Eugene smiled back but did not feel any warmth from Yasuhara's statement. He did not like the word 'cute'. It made him think of fluffy bunnies.

He was not a fluffy bunny.

"Okay I give up with the jeans here, how about the t-shirts…"

Yasuhara practically danced around to the t-shirts, pulling a face at Eugene as he went. Eugene let out a genuine laugh as he traipsed after Yasuhara.

"Hmm, blue would bring out your eyes," Yasuhara mused. "So would purple or the right sort of green, to be honest… Anything too dark would just make you look paler than you already are…"

He began pulling out t-shirts and holding them against Eugene before returning them to the rack, obviously displeased.

Eugene spotted a bright t-shirt and pulled it out. He gave it a once over, but before he could share his opinion, Yasuhara spoke up.

"No, that colour would flush you out. It's a bit childish too."

"I know, it wouldn't suit me, but the colour is nice."

"Yeah," Yasuhara mumbled. "Here. Now this would look good."

"That's a small," Eugene noticed.

"Yeah?"

"I usually wear a medium."

"Really? I think this will fit." Yasuhara slung the blue grandpa shirt over his arm and continued looking. "This wouldn't look too bad if you had a bit more muscle on your arms… You should try it on anyway." He picked up another t-shirt.

Eugene thought it best just to let Yasuhara look. He pulled out his phone and found a text from Oliver.

 **Oliver: We are going to eat now, will you be joining us?**

 **Eugene: No, already eaten.**

"What's that?"

"Noll wanted to know if we wanted to eat with them. I told him we'd already eaten."

"I wonder how they got on with bra shopping," Yasuhara said with a smirk.

"Well Mai obviously didn't kill Noll," Eugene pointed out.

"Ooh look, chinos! These would look good with a blazer jacket."

Half an hour of searching later and more time in a changing room than Eugene had ever thought possible, Yasuhara was finally satisfied with their choices. Eugene had to admit he did look good.

Instead of looking like a 17-year-old boy, he resembled something closer to a man. He needed a bit of stubble to finish the outfit off really, but alas his chin was stubbornly hairless.

Yasuhara hid the total from Eugene when they reached the checkout. Not that Eugene had tried to look as he felt guilty enough to begin with.

"Where next?" Yasuhara asked as they strode out of TKmaxx. "Still up for Hollister? Topman? H&M?"

"I don't mind," Eugene replied.

"Hollister then," Yasuhara said. "Topman has gone a bit hipster lately."

When they found the shop, they also found Oliver sitting in one of the chairs just inside the door.

"Hello," Eugene greeted his brother.

"Mai wanted to look around," Oliver replied, nodding his head back towards the main part of the store. "Apparently this is one of the few shops that makes clothing small enough for her without having to step into the children's section."

"I see. Well…" Eugene shrugged as he and Yasuhara walked past his twin into the shop. He could feel Oliver's eyes on him as he began browsing. Yet when Eugene looked around, Oliver was reading something on his phone.

Eugene was subjected to a similar treatment in Hollister as he had been in TKmaxx. Yasuhara had him try on half the shop before settling on the items deemed worthy.

Mai was waiting with Oliver when they exited with bags in hand.

"Are you ready to go back to the boarding house now?" she asked Yasuhara. He pouted back at her.

* * *

 **Author's note: So this is the chapter that I wrote an Omake for, check it out on my profile, it's called Omake because I am so original like that! And look! I am totally on time this week! Go me!**

 **Please review with your thoughts and predictions :)**


	7. Part 1: Chapter 7

On Sunday morning, Eugene trundled down the stairs to find his parents eating breakfast. His father was doing the crossword in the paper while his mother nursed a large cup of coffee.

"Morning," Luella mumbled. "Sleep okay?"

"Yeah," Eugene replied as he flicked the kettle on. He turned towards his parents, paused and then turned back to the worksurface. Mustering up his courage, he faced them again.

"Yes Gene?"

"Mum, are you going to the gym later?"

"I am, why? Do you want to come?" Luella asked.

"Well, yeah…"

Eugene made himself a cup of tea to avoid looking at his mother.

"May I ask why? It's not like you need to lose weight or anything!"

"Well I want to be a doctor, I can't really go around advising people to exercise several times a week when I don't really do that much myself," Eugene explained. "I don't want to lose weight, just get fitter…"

"Okay dear," Luella said. "I'll let know you know when I'm going. Ask Noll if he wants to come too, it's only fair."

"Will do."

Eugene hastily poured another cup of tea and took both cups upstairs. He pushed open Oliver's bedroom door to find his twin still in bed.

"What do you want?" Oliver groaned into his pillow.

"I brought you tea."

"You didn't answer my question."

Eugene sighed and placed the cup of tea on Oliver's bedside table.

"Mum wants to know if you want to come to the gym with us."

"What?"

"The gym, you know, the place where you do exercise?"

Eugene sat down at Oliver's desk and glanced at the papers spread over the surface.

"I know what a gym is. Why on earth do you want to go to one?"

Oliver shuffled over in his bed so his chin rested on his bedside table. He tipped the cup of tea towards his mouth and sipped some of the hot liquid.

"You could just sit up like a normal person."

"You're avoiding my question."

"To get fit and stuff. Exercise. What normal people do at gyms," Eugene answered.

"Okay."

"What?"

"I'll come."

Eugene lent over and touched his twin's forehead.

"Well you don't seem to have a temperature…"

"Cut it out," Oliver grumbled, falling back into bed and pulling the covers up.

"Why do you wanna come?"

"Why not?"

"Now who is avoiding questions," Eugene teased.

"When are we leaving?"

"Later? I have no idea."

"Wake me up ten minutes beforehand."

"Seriously? I made you tea! You can't just sleep."

"Watch me."

Eugene rolled his eyes and returned to his own bedroom. Flicking open his laptop, he took a seat at his own desk. Once loaded, he began searching for workout plans as he idly sipped at his tea.

Eugene quickly realised that going to the gym seemed to require a lot more thought than he had originally believed. There were plans not only for a single session, but to achieve certain goals over different timescales. These plans detailed diets for every day of the week.

His mind was whirring with thoughts of macros and powders and whatever paleo meant.

"Do you want breakfast?"

Eugene spun around to see Oliver standing in his doorway.

"I thought you were sleeping?"

"You disturbed my slumber. I am now awake. Breakfast?"

"What are you cooking?"

"Veggie sausage sandwiches."

"Yes please," Eugene requested. "Do you want help?"

"No, I'll shout when they're done."

"Thanks."

Oliver slunk off and Eugene turned back to his laptop screen. He had found a plan entitled 'Gym for Beginners'. It proved a useful read, detailing the best way to work various muscle groups and the required extra nutrition someone would need to build muscle.

Eugene slouched down in his chair and started scrolling through a few new articles to inspire him.

* * *

"You know, I must say I was surprised you wanted to join us, Noll," Luella said as they walked into the reception of the gym.

"How may I help you?" the receptionist asked upon their approach.

"I need to sign my sons in with me today," Luella explained.

"Alright, do you have your membership card?"

As Luella rummaged around in her back for her membership card, Eugene looked around the gym's entrance hall. Through some glass panels, he could see an aerobics class being held in a studio. On the other side of the hall, he could see a glass door leading to a room full of cardio machines.

"... show them round?"

"No, I'll do it," Luella said. "Thank you so much. Boys, put these wristbands on."

Eugene slipped on the wristband and followed his mother around a brief tour of the gym.

"... and the staff are really helpful so if you want help doing anything just ask. I presume you don't want me following you two around?"

The twins shook their heads in unison.

"Well, we'll meet by the reception at in hour then?"

"Okay," Eugene replied. He looked around the weights room and noted that it was currently empty, a perk of coming on a Sunday morning according to Luella.

"I'll be through here," Luella said, pointing towards the cardio room. Oliver also walked off, leaving Eugene alone to decide how to start.

He shuffled over to the lighter hand weights and lifted a few up, trying to imitate the moves he had read about earlier. Eugene caught sight of himself in the mirror and thought he looked ridiculous.

He had worn his old school P.E. kit as it was the only sports stuff he owned. The weights he held in either hand looked pathetically small. Replacing them for a different, heavier set, he started lifting them up and down.

Less than a minute later, Eugene turned around and faced the wall.

Once he was no longer staring at his own reflection, Eugene found it easier to go through his mental list of free weight activities. Until someone else walked in.

Eugene did not think he would have minded as much if the intruder had not been over six foot and built like the Hulk. Hastily re-racking his weights, Eugene scarpered in search of his twin.

Oliver was nowhere to be found in any of the weight rooms. In fact, when Eugene finally located his brother, he burst out laughing.

Oliver was sat on a stationary cycle bike, reading.

He was not even pedaling.

"Noll what are you doing?"

Oliver began pedalling. He looked up at Eugene and slammed his book shut.

"What?"

"Did you come here just to read?"

"So what if I did?"

Eugene laughed.

"You're supposed to be here to exercise," Eugene managed between guffaws.

"And look, my legs are going around on this contraption. That counts as exercise."

"Of course it does. Why did you really come?"

"I'd never been to a gym before. I wanted to visit one."

"And your opinion?"

"Well I spent ten minutes cleaning this contraption so I could sit on it," Oliver muttered. "It was sweaty and disgusting. I mean most of these things are."

"Well yes, exercise generally results in sweat," Eugene deadpanned.

"Do you want to come again?" Oliver asked. He opened his book again and propped it up on the machine's display panel. Though Oliver was looking at the book, Eugene knew he was not reading it as his eyes remained stationary.

"I… I don't know."

Eugene climbed onto the bike next to Oliver and pedaled.

"There are other forms of exercise available to you, if that is what you are worried about," Oliver remarked. His eyes were still not scanning the page.

"I know, but I'm not much for team sports."

"Then try an individual sport. Like cycling? Or running?"

Eugene hummed as he thought over the suggestions.

"I don't have a bike."

"Buy one."

"Running would be cheaper."

"It would."

"Do you wanna come too?"

"Do you want me to?"

Eugene did not answer. He glanced up at the clock.

"We should go and meet Mum."

The twins climbed off of their respective bicycles and headed to the reception. Luella was waiting for them, looking flushed but pleased with her own workout.

"Have fun boys?"

"Yeah," Eugene replied. "But I'm not sure it's for me."

* * *

 **Yasuhara: I just thought of something.**

 **Eugene: What?**

 **Yasuhara: I didn't buy you any underwear.**

Eugene stared at his phone for a long time after Yasuhara's text arrived.

 **Eugene: I own underwear…**

 **Yasuhara: Hmm, but what colour?**

 **Yasuhara: And what style?**

 **Eugene: Lots of colours? Of normal boxers?**

Now concerned about his own underwear situation, Eugene jumped off his bed and rummaged through his drawers.

 **Yasuhara: Booooorrrrinnngggggggg. I'll buy you something better!**

Eugene returned to his bed, unsure how exactly to reply. He picked his French vocabulary list back up and starting running through it again.

"Faire un bide… Faire un tabac...Le flash d'information…" he intoned.

 **Yasuhara: Something like this!**

 **Yasuhara sent a picture message!**

Eugene's mouth fell open at the sight of Yasuhara's picture. It had obviously been saved from Google Images, but it consisted of a well toned man wearing very little in something that might have been misconstrued as underwear.

"That is not practical. This has to be a joke."

 **Eugene: Lol xD**

"I hope that is a joke," Eugene mumbled. He switched his phone into silent mode due to his desperate need to learn the French vocabulary.

"Faire un bide…"

* * *

Eugene had set his alarm for almost an hour earlier than usual on Monday morning. Much to his surprise, Oliver had also risen early.

"What are you doing?" Eugene asked.

Oliver was nursing a large mug of tea at the breakfast table when Eugene entered the kitchen.

"You wanted to run," Oliver croaked, his voice still affected by sleep.

"You don't have to come with me," Eugene said quickly. He shoved some bread in the toaster so Oliver would miss his smile.

After Eugene had eaten and Oliver had downed the rest of his tea, they tied up their shoelaces and headed out. Eugene had planned a short route around the village that totalled three kilometres.

Oliver followed Eugene as he had no knowledge of Eugene's planned route. But after the first kilometre they were both panting and out of breath.

"How… Much… Further…?"

"Don't… Know…" Eugene managed.

He heard Oliver groan behind him.

Somewhere around the second kilometre, Eugene thought he had gotten used to the pain and lack of oxygen. The last kilometre almost felt easy. His legs just kept going.

"Almost… There…"

Their home was in sight. It was so close and yet so far. Eugene's feet protested, his legs drained of any energy they once possessed.

"Come on," Oliver gasped. Eugene suddenly felt very grateful his brother has chosen to accompany him. Together, they staggered towards their front door only to collapse on the doorstep when they realised neither of them had brought a key.

Luella let them in a few minutes later with a quizzical expression.

"Martin said he thought he saw you two up early this morning, what were you doing?"

"Running."

Eugene crawled towards the kitchen and sprawled himself over the floor by the fridge. Oliver managed to remain slightly more civilised by slouching into a chair and resting his head on the table.

"Would you two like breakfast?"

Groans emitted from the twins.

"I will take that as a yes."

Twenty minutes and two bowls of porridge later, they had recovered enough to speak.

"I want to go again," Eugene said. The post-run euphoria had erased the memories of the pain from the run.

"Really? You looked like death when you got back," Luella commented.

"Thanks Mum."

"I am going to shower." Oliver stood up and left the kitchen, a cup of tea in hand.

"How did you convince him to go with you? Noll hates exercise," Luella asked.

Eugene shrugged.

"I don't know, he just chose to come."

"Have you finished with that bowl dear? I'll wash up so you can get ready for school. Do you still want to walk?"

"If you're offering a lift I'm not going to say no," Eugene replied with a grin as he passed over his empty bowl.

In the end, Luella did give them a lift to school. Mai and Yasuhara were waiting at the school gates. But when Eugene climbed out of the car and waved to Yasuhara, he scowled and walked away.

Frowning, Eugene walked over to Mai.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know, did you say something?" she replied, her eyes tracking her fellow boarder.

"No? I don't think so?"

Eugene continued to look puzzled.

"H-Hey Oliver." Mai's face went scarlet upon Oliver's approach.

"Mai."

"D-Did you know Oliver knows far too much about g-garters?" Mai aimed her tease towards Eugene, who looked around, distracted.

"What about them? Mum taught us about these things years ago."

"That's how you know?" Mai almost shouted at Oliver, who smirked back. "You made it sound like— You— Jerk!"

She pouted up at Oliver, who turned to Eugene, unaffected.

"We should head in."

"I'll see you at lunch right?" Mai asked.

"Of course," Oliver said. He glanced once more at Mai before striding away, Eugene in his wake.

* * *

"Hey," Eugene greeted Yasuhara at the beginning of their Maths lesson.

Yasuhara did not respond as he stared blankly at the board, waiting for the teacher to start.

"What's wrong?"

Yasuhara humphed.

"Yasuhara? Talk to me," Eugene pleaded.

"What?" Yasuhara spat. "It's not like you care."

"I do care, what's happened?"

"You ignored me! All fucking evening! I texted you saying I was feeling bad and you still ignored me!"

"What?" Eugene recoiled slightly. He wanted to pull his phone out and check, but Miss Smith was looking to start the class. Then it hit him. "I turned my phone on silent… I missed your texts! I'm so sorry!"

"Settle down," Miss Smith called over the rabble.

"Sure you did," Yasuhara muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Eugene to hear.

Eugene barely paid any attention as Miss Smith went about explaining their newest topic; differentiation. He had not meant to avoid Yasuhara's response. He had been doing his homework and planning his run. He had been trying to learn that dratted French vocabulary.

And as result, Yasuhara had been left alone. If only he had checked his phone. He would have known.

He should have checked it.

"... go yourselves starting with page two hundred and one, exercise one," Miss Smith concluded.

Eugene shook himself and opened his textbook. He read through the brief explanation and stared intently at the first problem. Eugene cursed.

"Will you help me?" he whispered to Yasuhara.

"What? Like you didn't help me last night?"

Eugene felt tears welling up in his eyes, that he blinked hastily away

He shuffled his chair further away from Yasuhara and looked to his twin.

"No— "

"Fine," Yasuhara spat, "I'll help you."

Oliver had stopped working to stare at Eugene and Yasuhara. Eugene shook his head; it was nothing.

Yasuhara explained how to differentiate basic functions in as few words as possible, tutting and sighing every time Eugene interrupted to ask a question.

"..should've just paid attention."

Eugene ignored Yasuhara's words and set to work on the problems in front of him.

At the end of the lesson, Eugene had every intention of storming from the classroom. Yasuhara's behaviour was uncalled for. It was not like Eugene had ignored him on purpose.

"Gene?"

The tender tone of Yasuhara's voice made Eugene falter in his actions.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

Eugene's eyebrows furrowed.

"I shouldn't've snapped at you like that," Yasuhara went on. "I was just really upset last night and I… I needed you."

"I'm sorry," Eugene said. "I— "

"I know. How about we get lunch together today?" Yasuhara asked as they left the classroom. "You know, just the two of us?"

"Yeah, alright."

Eugene gave Yasuhara a small smile. They headed to the canteen to find some food and snuck straight out, passing Mai, Masako and Oliver as they went.

"I feel kind of guilty stealing you away from them," Yasuhara admitted once they had sat down on a picnic bench by the school field.

"Don't, they'll survive," Eugene said. He took a bite of his sandwich. "Do you… Want to talk about it?"

"I… I don't have the best relationship with my father. He was supposed to visit me yesterday and didn't. When you stopped replying too… I felt…"

"Abandoned?" Eugene supplied.

"Yeah."

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"Can I ask you a question?" Yasuhara requested.

"Go for it."

Eugene did not honestly feel like he had the right to refuse Yasuhara anything.

"Why do you look nothing like either of your parents?"

Eugene laughed at Yasuhara's nervous behaviour.

"Noll and I are adopted," he told him. "When we were eight."

"Oh, that would explain it."

"Yeah, don't worry," Eugene hastened to reassure Yasuhara. "It's not a sensitive subject or anything."

"Are you real parents dead?"

"Our _birth_ mother is," Eugene said. "But we don't know what happened to our father. He just left."

"Sounds like we both have daddy issues, huh?" Yasuhara chuckled.

"Nah, Martin is our real dad," Eugene replied with a smile. "He's alright."

"That's cute."

Eugene's smile faded a little, he covered this by eating more of his sandwich.

* * *

"You did not join us at lunch," Oliver remarked on the walk home.

"No, Yasuhara wanted to talk. He'd had a rough day yesterday."

"I see."

"Did you have fun with the girls?" Eugene asked, trying to avoid his brother's terse expression.

"Mai and Masako talked incessantly about their plans for Halloween," Oliver said. "It is not even October yet," he added in disgust.

"What are they doing?"

"Masako is trying to convince her parents to hold a party."

"Sounds fun."

"Sounds like torture."

"But you'd go?"

"No."

"Yes you would," Eugene teased. "If Mai asked you."

"I would not."

Eugene raised an eyebrow at Oliver, who scowled.

"I would not dress up," Oliver insisted.

"Really? Even if Mai asked you really nicely? If she batted her big brown eyes at you? Pleaded with you to dress up in some adorable little couple outfit? You'd honestly say no?"

"It sounds to me as if you have a crush on her," Oliver muttered.

"Stop avoiding it."

"Avoiding what?"

"Why don't you ask Mai out?"

Oliver frowned and sped up.

"Noll? Noll, I didn't mean to upset you. What's wrong?"

Oliver did not reply. Eugene hurried to catch up and caught his arm.

"If you don't want to ask her out, don't it's fine!"

"I know."


	8. Part 1: Chapter 8

"Where's Yasuhara?" Eugene asked as they sat down for lunch the next day.

"Oh, he didn't tell you?" Mai replied.

"No?" Eugene shot Mai a quizzical look.

"He got lunchtime detention," Mai said, avoiding eye contact. "He broke into the girls' dorms last night, so he's got lunchtime detentions all week."

"What? Why?"

"Did he break in?" Mai asked to clarify. Eugene nodded. "I think he wanted to visit me, but the matron caught him. She looked ready to flog him…"

"Why did he want to see you?" Eugene attempted to keep the jealousy out of his voice, but was not quite sure he had managed it.

"Lonely I guess?" Mai shrugged.

Eugene stared down at his food, before peeking at his brother out of the corner of his eye. Oliver did not look particularly happy either.

"Can you believe the amount of homework Madame Bell gave us?" Masako burst out. "We haven't even covered half of those topics yet I swear!"

"It's not like it's due next week," Mai said. "It's for our orals in the summer."

"I hate orals. Seriously, who decided speaking was a necessary part of a language."

Mai giggled.

"Yeah, if only people stuck to writing and reading."

Oliver rolled his eyes at the girls' foolishness and pulled out a book.

"What are you reading?" Eugene asked, also not in the mood.

Oliver lifted the book up so that Eugene could read the cover.

"What's it about?"

"Physics."

Eugene sighed.

"Do you want to run again tomorrow morning?"

Oliver nodded.

"Cool."

Eugene gave up on his one sided conversation.

X~X~X

The last lesson of the day was Maths, where Yasuhara greeted him enthusiastically.

"I am so sorry about lunch," Yasuhara hurried to speak. "That matron woman is a cow."

"Mai said you were sneaking into the girls' dorms?" Eugene prompted.

"Well yeah, Mai had lent me one of her pens and I wanted to return it. I didn't even go in! I knocked and hoped someone would act as a delivery service for me, but no! This matron woman turned up and decided I was in detention for the rest of the week!"

"That's really sucky."

"Sucky? So articulate," Yasuhara teased, nudging Eugene.

"Oh shut up," Eugene mumbled.

They set to work on the new set of differentiation problems, a continuation from the previous lesson. Five minutes later, and Eugene was getting nowhere.

"I just don't get it."

"Huh?"

"How to do this," Eugene complained. Yasuhara shuffled his chair over and read Eugene's working so far.

"Ah well, you made a mistake— "

But Eugene's ears stopped working as he felt Yasuhara's hand snaking between his legs.

His head shot around and stared open mouthed, but Yasuhara continued his explanation.

"— differentiate within the brackets— "

Yasuhara's hand inched up.

"— treat the bracket as a whole and— "

Eugene swallowed as fingertips brushed against his crotch.

"Got it."

"Are you sure? Here, do the next one and I'll check you do it right?"

But how could Eugene work when Yasuhara was massaging his privates? How could he even think straight?

"Later," he managed. "Not now."

Yasuhara frowned, but withdrew with a hard done by sigh.

Eugene took a few calming breaths and set once again to work on the maths problems.

At the end of the lesson, Oliver stalked past Eugene and Yasuhara without a word. Eugene had an inkling that Oliver had seen something of Yasuhara's actions, even if the other students had not.

"Who got his pants in a twist?" Yasuhara muttered.

"No idea," Eugene lied. "Shall we?"

He indicated the door. Yasuhara nodded and they both left, Yasuhara's hand taking Eugene's as they walked down the corridors.

When they reached the school gates, Yasuhara slowed; he was not allowed out.

"You really shouldn't tease me like that in lessons you know," Eugene said, gazing into Yasuhara's eyes. "But I don't have to walk home straight away…"

He began to reach up, with the aim of kissing Yasuhara. But Yasuhara shook his head, frowning and stepping back.

"No."

"What? But-"

"Everyone can see us here," Yasuhara said quickly. "What do you think you're doing?"

He sneered at Eugene, who recoiled.

"I should get back to the boarding house."

Eugene watched as Yasuhara turned on his heel and walked away. He frowned after him, confused. One minute Yasuhara had tried to initiate things in class and the next he was pushing him away.

It did not make any sense. What had Eugene done to offend him?

"Are you coming?"

Oliver's voice shook Eugene out of his thoughts.

"Yeah…"

He fell in step beside his brother. The tension around Oliver was palpable. It took Eugene almost five minutes to dare ask.

"What's wrong?"

"Who said anything was wrong?"

"You're being passive aggressive," Eugene commented.

Oliver scowled, but did not say anything.

Eugene deflated, his pace slowing. Oliver did not wait for him.

* * *

When Eugene first felt his phone vibrate, he wanted to ignore it. Then he remembered how Yasuhara had felt bad at the weekend and he hadn't been there.

His phone vibrated again.

Eugene pulled it from his pocket and unlocked it to reveal the text message.

 **Yasuhara: Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have done that in class or pushed you away afterwards. I've had a weird couple of days. But I want to make it up to you!**

 **Yasuhara sent a picture message.**

Eugene's mouth dropped open.

"Gene, dear, are you okay?"

Eugene had forgotten he was sat in the living room with his parents.

"Yeah," he said quickly. "A friend just wanted to… Clarify the homework."

He jumped up and all but ran from the room and up to his bedroom. Shutting the door behind him, he re-unlocked his phone and stared at the image.

Yasuhara's trademark grin could just be seen at the top of the photo. Eugene's eye scanned down and his mouth became very dry.

Yasuhara's naked torso was angled so the light hit it perfectly, emphasising the slight ridges of his muscles. The photo ended with Yasuhara's hips. Surely his trousers should have appeared by now? Unless…

Eugene licked his lips.

 **Yasuhara: Like what you see?**

Eugene nodded. Then remembered Yasuhara could not see him.

 **Eugene: Yeah.**

 **Yasuhara: Well, if you want to see any more, I want something in return too ;)**

Eugene turned to the full length mirror next to his door. Tentatively, he walked to stand in front of it and studied his reflection. His school uniform did not hang well on his body. He pulled his blazer off and draped it over the back of his school chair. Untucking his shirt, Eugene attempted to pose.

Only when he stopped looking at how his body appeared did he realise how ridiculous his facial expression had become.

"How do you do a sexy face?"

Eugene manipulated his face into a series of different expressions, but none really made him feel like he was attractive in any way, shape or form.

Groaning, he slouched into his chair and wiggled his mouse on his laptop. He opened up Chrome and began typing out his question. He clicked on the first link, an article from Cosmopolitan magazine.

He scanned the suggestions and looked around his room. The lighting was not great. But wide eyes, upward facing chin and turning to the right were all things he could do.

Standing back up, he discarded his tie and undid a few buttons.

Eugene lifted his phone up and opened the camera. Checking he was in the shot, he tried his best to angle his head as best he could and went for an easy smile. He snapped a few pictures.

"Eugh… I suppose that one isn't too bad…"

He picked the best of the lot and sent it to Yasuhara, who did not take long to reply.

 **Yasuhara: Why must you tease me with all those clothes?**

Eugene undid a few more buttons before snapping a few more pictures. Once again, he picked the one he thought he looked the least weird in, and sent it.

But Yasuhara's response was not exactly what Eugene had been expecting.

 **Yasuhara: Are you touching yourself?**

Eugene could still see the photo he had sent. He had not included much of his body in the photo. He supposed it was not an entirely uncalled for question.

 **Yasuhara: Because I am…**

The hand that was not holding his phone slunk down his body to his trousers. Eugene slipped his hand under the fabric to find himself already hard. A wave of pleasure shot up his spine as his fingers teased his tip. A breathy moan escaped his lips as he closed his eyes.

His thumb on his other hand slipped. A shutter sound jolted Eugene from the trance he had led himself into. His eyes shot open to see exactly what he'd looked like moments before, immortalised in the form of a digital photo.

"Shit."

But Eugene had to admit, his photographed self did look good. Good in a sexy, turned on kind of way. His mouth was open, mid-moan. His eyes were closed. His arm could be seen disappearing into his trousers.

Biting his lip, he sent the photo to Yasuhara.

Heart racing from his own daring and full of adrenaline, Eugene began pacing about his room. He spun his phone around in his hand, grinning one moment and biting his lip again the next.

Then his phone vibrated.

Eugene sank into his bed before unlocking his phone.

 **Yasuhara: Fuck me…**

Pride welled up inside Eugene.

 **Eugene: Beat that :p**

He lay back on his bed, one hand idly returning under his trousers. His mind anticipated Yasuhara's reply. Perhaps a picture of Yasuhara… Glasses askew… Hair ruffled...

Eugene imagined pulling the glasses off of Yasuhara's face and casting them aside. Then Yasuhara would kiss him. And then kiss down his neck again…. That had felt so good…

A vibration drew him out of the fantasy.

 **Yasuhara: If I was there, I don't think I'd be able to keep my hands off you right now.**

 **Yasuhara sent a picture message.**

Eugene was treated to the image of Yasuhara's navy boxers. They rode low on his hips and an obvious bulge had been emphasised by the placement of Yasuhara's long fingers.

 **Eugene: I don't think I'd want you to…**

A tiny part in the back of Eugene's brain was trying to ascertain if Yasuhara's penis was larger than his. He felt ridiculous for even thinking it, but curiosity burned within him. He supposed the only way he would know was if he got his hands on Yasuhara…

Eugene quite thought he would like to have his hands on Yasuhara…

His hand sped up at the mere idea of making Yasuhara writhe in pleasure. Eugene's own pleasure built fast, like a dam threatening to spill over at any moment.

Tingling sensations spread up his spine and down his limbs. His mouth was drier than the Sahara desert but he did not care. Nothing mattered. Nothing but the throbbing in his hand and his coveted desires of Yasuhara.

The dam inside him had hit breaking point. Any moment it would give way. Eugene had stopped breathing in anticipation of—

"Gene! Noll! Time for dinner!"

Eugene scrambled to sit up. His hand retreated from his trousers and he hastily straightened his shirt. Wild eyes searched around the room, as if expecting an intruder.

But he was quite alone. Alone with a painfully erect penis and a strong feeling of shame.

 **Yasuhara: Thanks for the fun handsome ;)**

From this, Eugene assumed Yasuhara had finished himself without being interrupted.

"Boys! Come on!"

Eugene cursed and forced thoughts of dying puppies to the forefront of his mind.

* * *

"Gene, dear, you've barely touched your mashed potato," Luella said at dinner.

"Yeah, I'm not that hungry," Eugene replied. "I ate a lot at lunch."

He ignored the frown from Oliver, in truth, he had eaten no more than usual at lunch. But if he had admitted to that, his mother would get worried. There was no need for that.

"Now boys, I know it's a bit early to be thinking about these things," Martin began. "But as a university professor I think I ought to give you a few tips. Assuming you want to apply to university, you'll both need strong personal statements. So you both want to start thinking about extra curricular activities you may want to include on your application."

"Yeah," Eugene mumbled. "But I can't do that much for medicine, can I? Because I'm too young? And patient confidentiality and all?"

"Well I doubt you'll be able to directly work in a hospital or anything," Martin agreed. "But you could do some volunteering in hospital wards? Or raise money for cancer charities?"

Eugene sat back at this suggestion. It was not something he had considered.

"And what do you suggest for physics?" There was a hint of a sneer behind Oliver's question.

"Anything that will show you as an intelligent and well rounded individual who is open to new ideas," Martin replied. "Something that shows programming skills would not go amiss."

"Now if you two find anything you want to do, just let us know, okay? Money is no issue when it comes to your future," Luella insisted. "Although Oliver I do think tutoring Mai would be a wonderful idea. You could invite her around here and we'll ensure she is properly fed."

Eugene sniggered at his brother's discomfort.

"And what about you Eugene? Any young ladies catching your eye?"

Eugene's laugh died instantly. He could feel Oliver's gaze, but ignored it.

"No," he murmured.

"No? Well, there is no rush. But you shouldn't laugh at your brother for liking someone."

Oliver's frown deepened at Luella's words.

"I wasn't laughing at that! I was laughing at your attempts to set him up with Mai," Eugene retorted.

"Well if you started showing interest in someone then I would do the same for you."

Eugene did his best to hide his frustration. He wanted to tell his parents… But they had never discussed homosexuality. He had no idea of their opinion on the matter and he did not want to risk rejection.

After dinner, Eugene returned to his room and flicked open his planner. None of his homework was due for the following day.

Shutting his planner, Eugene stood up and headed to his brother's bedroom. He knocked, but walked straight in and shut the door behind him.

"Yes?"

"I need some advice."

"And you came to me?" Oliver spun his chair around.

"Yes," Eugene answered, taking a seat on Oliver's bed. He brought his knees up and hugged them to his chest.

"Well?"

"Do you think… Do you think I should tell Luella and Martin that I'm… Gay?"

"Do you want to?"

"Yes."

"Then tell them."

"Noll, it isn't that simple," Eugene protested. "What if they don't accept it? They could kick me out! Then we won't—"

"They cannot separate us," Oliver stated. He turned back to his desk and took a deep breath. "The other day, I overheard a conversation between Martin and Luella." Eugene frowned, but did not interrupt. "Martin was berating Luella for encouraging a relationship between Mai and myself. He was concerned that I, of all people, would get Mai pregnant."

Eugene chuckled.

"I see."

"So I think he would be quite pleased on that front, as pregnancy would not be an issue in your case," Noll said. "Though you might have to placate Luella by promising to adopt in later life," he added as an afterthought.

"Yeah, unless you and Mai start producing grandchildren left, right and centre."

Eugene did not need to see Oliver's face to know he was rolling his eyes.

"If you want Luella to stop, I'll have a word with her," he offered.

Eugene watched Oliver's shoulders sag.

"No," he said in a soft voice. "It makes her happy."

"I know, but if it upsets you…"

"It's fine."

"Well if you're sure," Eugene said. The conversation had finished, but he did not move.

Oliver began scribbling.

"Do you still want to run tomorrow?" Eugene asked.

"If you want."

"Do you want to do the same route?"

"I do not want to run any further, if that is what you're suggesting."

Eugene laughed, but still did not remove himself from Oliver's bed.

Oliver worked in silence, leaving Eugene to his thoughts for almost twenty minutes, before realising his twin had not left yet.

"Do you want anything else?"

Eugene hummed in response and made to get up. But Oliver held up his hand.

Eugene waited.

"Do you want to play cards?" Oliver asked.

"Rummy?"

"Gin rummy," Oliver corrected. He searched through his desk drawer and pulled out an old pack of cards. He shuffled the dog eared cards until satisfied and then dealt.

They played in silence for almost five minutes, picking up and placing down cards as their hands evolved.

"I have yet to find the want to do anything sexual with Mai," Oliver told Eugene in a small voice. Eugene looked up from his hand, surprised.

"Really?"

"Beyond basic curiosity, I have never wanted to do anything sexual," Oliver went on. "I'm aware this is not normal. It is my reason for not taking any further steps with Mai."

Eugene realised the significance of Oliver's confession.

"Do you think Mai would care?"

"You are the first person I have mentioned this to," Oliver admitted, placing a set of three cards down. "I do not know what Mai would think."

Curiosity got the better of Eugene.

"But you do, you know… Masturbate, right?"

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"It is your turn," he prompted. "Necessities to prevent wet dreams are a separate matter."

"Right, so the idea isn't repulsive?"

"No," Oliver agreed. "But I would not be bothered if I never did that sort of thing again."

Eugene frowned.

"And you think this would bother Mai?"

"I have a concern that Mai would be offended by my lack of sexual inclination towards her."

"But you still _like_ like her right?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure she'd mind," Eugene said. "I think she'd want some form of affection, but I don't see why you can't agree on something between you."

Eugene picked up a few cards and set down two sets of four.

"Though I suppose if you mentioned this to Martin, his pregnancy fears might be somewhat allayed."

Oliver smirked in appreciation of Eugene's words.

"Yeah."

* * *

 **Author's note: So I am a terrible, _terrible_ person and forgot that yesterday was Monday and so forgot to update! It's still sort of Christmas so Merry Christmas! Please review :)**


	9. Part 1: Chapter 9

Eugene honestly believed the second run would be better than the first. Yet the twins were still panting like dying men when they arrived back at their house.

Luella, endlessly amused by their antics, made them breakfast and took them to school.

"Are you going to talk to Mai?" Eugene asked as they headed for their lockers before registration.

"Perhaps."

"Talk to me about what?"

The twins turned together to find Mai and Masako peering up at them.

Eugene looked at Oliver as Oliver looked at Eugene.

"I will leave this one to you," Eugene said, clapping Oliver on the arm. "Masako, have I ever shared with you the delights that is the interior of my locker?"

"I don't believe you have," Masako replied, grinning.

Eugene held out his arm, which Masako took. The two giggling teenagers left Mai and Oliver alone.

"Is it really going to happen this time?" Masako asked, releasing Eugene.

"I don't know," Eugene admitted. "But I think it's closer to happening than this time yesterday."

"What's closer to happening?"

Yasuhara had joined them.

"Oliver and Mai getting together."

"Oh good," Yasuhara said. "That guy could do with getting laid."

Eugene opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. It was not his place to talk about Oliver's private life.

"Well I'm going to head to my form room," Masako said. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

She left before Yasuhara could correct her, he would still be in detention.

"Last night was fun, huh?"

Eugene groaned.

"I was interrupted."

"Huh?"

"I was, well, about to finish when I was called for dinner."

Yasuhara roared with laughter.

"That must suck. Blue balled by food."

"Yeah, yeah," Eugene said. "Laugh it out."

"Well we've got a few minutes before registration if you want to head back to that bathroom," Yasuhara teased.

"You're insatiable."

"Only when it comes to you."

Eugene's cheeked flooded scarlet as Yasuhara grinned.

"You—"

"I'll see you later," Yasuhara said, still grinning as he waved goodbye.

Eugene pouted after him, but it did not last long. He smiled and headed to registration.

* * *

 **Masako: Oliver asked Mai if she wanted a computing tutor.**

The topic of Mai and Oliver's conversation had been deliberately ignored all of lunch time, but Eugene found Masako's text as he began walking home.

He showed it to Oliver.

"What?"

"You didn't talk to her about it then?"

"No," Oliver said. "There were several other people in that corridor."

Eugene had to admit Oliver had a point there.

"Did she accept your offer?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Mai has no issues with Computing," Oliver explained. Eugene thought he could see something like a smile on Oliver's face. They walked for another minute or so before Oliver went on. "She does, however, have an issue with electromagnetism."

"Ooh, I don't blame her," Eugene said. "Electromagnetism sucks."

Oliver refrained from disputing this statement.

"So, assuming the boarding masters agree, Mai will be coming around this weekend."

"Luella will be delighted."

Oliver smirked.

"Yes, she will."

Eugene looked back at his phone and began typing a reply.

 **Eugene: Yeah, but she's coming around this weekend for physics help :)**

 **Masako: Physics help huh… Is that what they call it these days?**

Eugene laughed.

 **Eugene: Apparently so!**

* * *

Luella was predictably ecstatic about the whole ordeal. Eugene had been honestly concerned at one point that she might have started planning Oliver and Mai's wedding.

After dinner, Eugene remained downstairs to assist with cleaning the kitchen up.

"You didn't eat a lot again this evening," Luella commented as she loaded the dishwasher.

"Mum, you know what you said yesterday," Eugene began, disregarding his mother's comment.

"I said a lot yesterday, dear, which bit?"

Eugene paused in the action of washing up a pan.

"About me liking someone…"

"You have found a girl?" Luella asked, her interest piqued.

"What if… What if it was a boy?"

Eugene did not look around. He could not look around. His heart thumped against his ribs, trying to escape his chest.

"Oh Gene, I am so sorry!" Luella gushed. "I shouldn't have… Just after you went out with Masako all those years ago, I assumed… I'm sorry!"

Eugene turned and Luella embraced him.

"It's okay… You're not upset?"

"Why would I be upset?" Luella asked, releasing her son.

"Well, I just thought…"

"Oh don't be ridiculous! I don't care who you love as long you're happy!"

Eugene let a small smile grace his lips.

"Thanks, Mum…"

"Nothing to thank me for," Luella said. "So who is it you want to invite round?"

"I don't—"

"Don't be ridiculous," Luella interrupted. "If Noll is having Mai around, you can have your friend around too."

"You remember Yasuhara…"

"The boy who came around for the movie afternoon? Yes? Is it him?"

Eugene nodded.

"Well, you invite him and if he wants to, I'll make the arrangements with the school again," Luella said, smiling.

"Thanks Mum."

"Now go and do your homework."

Eugene laughed.

"Yes Mum," he said in a fake annoyed voice. Luella smiled after her son, pleased he had felt comfortable enough to confide in her.

* * *

A knock on Eugene's bedroom door went unheard by its occupant. Eugene had headphones plugging his ears in order to listen to French conversations.

Martin entered Eugene's room tentatively, catching Eugene's eye.

"Hey Dad," Eugene mumbled as he paused the stream of French in his ears. "Everything okay?"

Martin shut the door behind him and rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Your mother shared something with me a few minutes ago."

Eugene stopped breathing. Martin's face was uncharacteristically blank and it worried him.

"I had a homosexual friend once," Martin went on. "David was his name. Very nice chap. Very good friend."

"Dad, what are you trying to say?"

Martin took a deep breath.

"I just want you to know that I accept you for who you are and—"

Eugene cut him off with a hug.

"Dad, it's fine. You don't have to give a speech or anything."

Martin returned the embrace.

"Luella told me I was overreacting," he muttered.

Eugene chuckled as Martin released him.

"I understand," Eugene mumbled. "I appreciate the sentiment."

"And if you ever want me to get in contact with Dave, so you can talk to him about homosexual things, just let me know."

"Dad, seriously, it's fine. I have the internet—"

"I know, I know, but it's not quite the same as a real person."

"Okay Dad."

"Am I embarrassing you now?"

"A little," Eugene admitted.

"That's my job so good," Martin said gruffly. "I'll let you get on with your homework now."

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're a good boy, Gene. Your mother and I are very proud of you," Martin said. "We're proud of both of you."

Eugene sank into his chair, blushing furiously.

Martin left, but Eugene could not find it within himself to start working again.

 **Eugene: My Dad just did the awkward 'I accept you for being gay' talk.**

 **Yasuhara: You came out?**

 **Eugene: I guess, yeah...**

 **Eugene: It was really awkward…**

 **Eugene: He offered to set me up to chat with a friend of his who is gay…**

 **Eugene: And he used the word 'homosexual' throughout…**

 **Yasuhara: Lol.**

Eugene frowned at the brief response.

 **Eugene: Are you alright?**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, I guess. Just wish my father would be as accepting.**

 **Eugene: Does he know?**

 **Yasuhara: No. But I wouldn't be surprised if he thought being gay was akin to being a paedophile or something.**

 **Eugene: That really sucks…**

 **Eugene: What about your mum? And the rest of your family?**

 **Yasuhara: Mum follows his line and my sister is busy with her own life.**

 **Eugene: Well you have me!**

 **Eugene: And my parents said you can come around this weekend! Noll is having Mai around to 'tutor' her in physics. So they said I could have you round :)**

Eugene glanced at the time, it was getting late. He closed up his French book and packed his bag for the following day.

 **Yasuhara: What do you want to tutor me in?**

Eugene blinked. He had not thought of it like that. The only subject they shared was Maths, and so far Yasuhara was doing a lot better than he was! He grinned as he thought of the perfect response.

 **Eugene: Well, I think your kissing technique could do with some refinement…**

 **Yasuhara: My kissing technique? And what do you want me to kiss?**

 **Eugene: Well I wouldn't mind you practicing that thing you did on my neck again… That was nice :)**

 **Yasuhara: Oh really? Well I was thinking of something a little lower ;)**

It took Eugene almost a minute to realise exactly what Yasuhara meant.

"Well shit…"

 **Eugene: I'm not opposed to that idea!**

 **Yasuhara: Good! I'm going to bed now, goodnight x**

Eugene stared at the little 'x' and smiled.

 **Eugene: Night x**

* * *

Saturday could not come soon enough for Eugene. He had chosen some of the clothes Yasuhara had bought for him and felt somewhat at odds when Oliver entered the kitchen dressed in casual jeans and a t-shirt.

"Oh Gene you look so grown up," Luella gushed. "Orange juice?"

"Please."

"Now Noll, why don't you make an effort for Mai, hmm?"

"We are going to be studying, I want to be comfortable."

Oliver took a seat at the table. Eugene thought he looked ready to fall asleep again.

"Were you up late?"

"No," Oliver replied.

"What are you considering late?" Eugene asked before taking a sip of his juice.

"Past three."

Eugene rolled his eyes.

"What on earth were you doing?"

"Reading," Oliver managed through a yawn.

"Anything good? Or was it physics?"

"You make it sound as if they are mutually exclusive," Oliver muttered. "But it was not physics."

"What was it then?"

"The work of an up and coming young author shared freely and set in a pre-existing world."

Eugene stared at his twin for a moment.

"You were reading fanfiction? Why?" he asked, incredulous.

"Mai wrote it," Oliver replied, smirking.

"She doesn't…"

"She does."

"Poor child," Eugene said. "You're going to tease her rotten for it."

"Tease Mai? As if I would."

Eugene chuckled.

"Well I'm going to go and tidy my room up," he said as he stood.

Once back in his room, Eugene straightened up his bed and desk. He took a few dirty items of clothing to the bathroom and dumped them in the wash bin before returning to his room. Scanning it, Eugene looked for anything that he might not want Yasuhara to see.

Happy that his room was embarrassing-item-free, Eugene flopped on his bed and grabbed a book. He opened it up and began reading, trying to pass the time until Yasuhara arrived.

But the words on the page of his book failed to keep Eugene's interest. Yasuhara's suggestion had been haunting Eugene's thoughts for days, which in turn, had resulted in a lot of used tissues appearing in his bin.

"Tissues."

Eugene deserted his book and glanced around his room. He would do well to have a stash of tissues. Just in case.

Jumping up, he headed to the bathroom and nabbed a spare loo roll, which he proceeded to hide in his bedside cabinet.

Satisfied, he made to sit down again, but as he did, the doorbell rang.

Eugene jumped straight back up and pelted out of his room and down the stairs. Luella let their guests in, greeting them both with a wide smile.

"Now would either of you like a drink?" Luella asked.

"No thank you," Yasuhara responded. He glanced at Eugene and let his eyes give him a once over.

"No thank you," Mai parroted. Oliver had been much slower to join them. He made eye contact with Mai and nodded towards his room.

"Alright then, I'll let you all get on. I'll be aiming lunch for about one o'clock," Luella told them.

"Thanks Mum," Eugene said, before all of the teenagers bounded up the stairs.

Mai followed Oliver into his room, while Yasuhara traipsed behind Eugene to his.

"How are you?" Eugene asked as Yasuhara shut the door behind him.

But Yasuhara did not reply. He grabbed Eugene's wrist and pulled him closer.

"Wha—"

Yasuhara slammed his lips to Eugene's as if his life depended on it. Eugene melted into the kiss, sensing the longing in Yasuhara's touch.

"I've been waiting for this all week," Yasuhara moaned as he broke away. He took Eugene's hand and guided it to his crotch. "I need you to touch me."

Eugene fondled Yasuhara as they kissed again. His knees felt weak. His mind reeling with ideas and fantasies. Eugene did not notice Yasuhara undoing his trousers. Then Yasuhara took Eugene's hand and directed it under his own underwear.

Eugene gasped. Yasuhara's skin was so soft and yet—

"Do you feel how badly I need you right now?" Yasuhara purred in his ear.

"Yeah," Eugene replied breathlessly. He stroked Yasuhara slowly, eliciting a groan that made his knees tremble.

Yasuhara pulled them so his back rest against the bedroom door.

"I think we could put that mouth of yours to better use," he suggested.

"I've never—"

"Just don't use your teeth," Yasuhara instructed.

Eugene stopped moving, staring at Yasuhara's expectant face before looking down.

"Do I just…"

"Go on," Yasuhara urged in a low voice.

Eugene pulled his hand free as Yasuhara pushed his underwear down slightly. Eugene began to bend down before realising he was going to have to kneel.

"Stop teasing me," Yasuhara complained.

Eugene realise he had momentarily blanked as he stared at Yasuhara's crotch. Though he did not want to admit it was from nerves rather than a deliberate attempt to tease Yasuhara.

He steadied himself against the door before taking Yasuhara's length inside his mouth. His immediate concerns regarding teeth were banished as Yasuhara moaned and shook. Convinced he had done something right, Eugene began moving back and forth.

"Yes…" the hiss escaped Yasuhara's lips.

Eugene felt a hand on his head. Yasuhara's fingers ran through Eugene's hair as he gasped.

"Use your tongue."

His tongue? Eugene was not sure there was enough room in his mouth to move his tongue around too. Nevertheless, he tried to draw a swirling pattern on the end of Yasuhara's tip.

"That feels so good…"

He did it again and felt Yasuhara's whole body shake.

"Faster."

Eugene obeyed. The sounds Yasuhara was making had left him rock hard and eager to please. It did not matter that his knees hurt from kneeling. Or that his cheeks ached from the unnatural position. All he wanted was to make Yasuhara cum.

Yasuhara's grip on his hair became tighter.

"Play with…" Yasuhara gasped. "Play with my balls."

Eugene heeded to Yasuhara's request with his spare hand. Then deciding he could make do without bracing against the wall, Eugene wrapped his other hand around the parts he could not reach with his mouth.

His efforts were rewarded with a guttural growl.

Yasuhara's grip on his hair had become almost painful.

"Oh… I'm so… Close…"

The words triggered something within Eugene. He sped up. Desperately trying to remain co-ordinated as Yasuhara unravelled.

"Yes…"

Eugene felt Yasuhara tense up but he did not stop.

He did not stop until he felt something hot and salty hit the back of his mouth. Eugene wanted to cough it out and pull away. But Yasuhara's hand prevented him from retreating.

He had no choice but to swallow.

Finally, panting, Yasuhara released Eugene. Who fell back and wiped his mouth.

"Not bad."

"I forgot how weird it tasted," Eugene mumbled.

"Huh?" Yasuhara raised an eyebrow as he pulled up his underwear and re-did his trousers.

"I tasted my own once… I was curious," Eugene admitted, shamefaced.

Yasuhara smirked.

"Get on the bed. I think it's my turn for a taste."

Eugene's eyes widened, but he scrambled onto the bed. Yasuhara followed, pressing him to lie down. Eugene complied, but kept his head up to he could see what Yasuhara was doing.

"Relax," Yasuhara crooned. "You look like I'm about to skin you alive."

He began undoing Eugene's trousers, pulling them down just enough so he could access Eugene's boxers.

Yasuhara looked up and made eye contact with Eugene before taking him in his mouth.

Sparks shot down Eugene's body. He gripped at his bedsheets.

"Shit…"

He had heard stories. But boy this did not compare to anything he had felt before.

"Oh my fucking…"

And then it stopped. Leaving him with a warm tingling sensation.

He moaned.

"Are you okay?" he heard Yasuhara's voice.

"No, you stopped. Fucking hell that was—"

But he did not manage to finish speaking. Yasuhara's mouth was doing wonderful, wonderful things and Eugene's brain could not keep up.

His toes fought for purchase on the end of the bed in an attempt to steady his body, though he was barely moving. His fists remained balled up. His chest battled between breathing and not wriggling too much, scared that any movement might cause the feeling to end.

He could feel Yasuhara's hands caressing him. He could feel Yasuhara's tongue dancing around his length. He could feel the vibrations in Yasuhara's mouth as he moaned.

"This is so good…" Eugene managed to say. "I could die happy right now… Oh my…"

Yasuhara picked up the pace. A tsunami of pleasure threaten to drown Eugene. But he did not mind one bit. His arms flailed as he struggled to cope with the overwhelming sensation.

"I'm gonna… I'm gonna…"

Fireworks exploded inside him. His body seized up. He could not breathe or think.

And then reality crashed back.

He felt the liquid on his stomach first. Groaning, Eugene felt around for his bedside table. He opened the drawer and pulled out the toilet roll. He cleaned himself up and opened a single eye before throwing the balled up tissue into his waste paper bin.

"That was amazing."

He pulled his clothes back up, but could not find the strength to move just yet. The bed shifted beside him where Yasuhara had shuffled over. Eugene rolled over and rested his head on Yasuhara's leg.

"You were so cute," Yasuhara teased. "Did you even hear yourself?"

"What?"

"'I could die happy right now' I think were your exact words," Yasuhara recited.

"Kill me now."

Eugene felt a hand stroking his hair.

"Your hair is really soft," Yasuhara commented.

"Is that a good thing?"

"I guess."

"Then thanks."

"Kind of like a puppy."

"Cheers," Eugene deadpanned. "I don't want to move, you're comfy."

"Okay," Yasuhara agreed. "We'll stay like this for a bit."

Eugene smiled and slowly drifted off.

* * *

 **Author's note: Woop! Actually on time with this one! Martin and Gene's conversation is my favourite thing I swear... Please review!**


	10. Part 1: Chapter 10

Eugene woke to find that he and Yasuhara were not alone. The voice invading his ears was definitely female.

"Mai?" he mumbled.

"Hello sleepyhead," she replied.

Eugene twisted around to peer blearily at the door where Mai stood, hands on her hips and a smile on her face.

"Lunch is ready," Yasuhara supplied.

"But you only just got here?"

"And then you fell asleep, and time passes while you're asleep," Mai said, evidently amused.

"Oh," Eugene said, sitting up. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Yasuhara said. "Though I'll admit to borrowing your book. You are quite cute when asleep."

"Okay," Eugene agreed, rubbing his eyes. "You mentioned food?"

"Yes, shall we?"

Eugene scrambled to his feet and followed Mai from his room, Yasuhara hot on his heels. Oliver was already waiting for them downstairs at the dinner table, where Luella was serving some kind of ravioli.

"Homemade," she said, the pride evident in her voice. "Spinach, courgette and wild mushroom. I've got some parmesan and cheddar here if you want either cheese." She pointed to two piles of grated cheese. "Help yourself to more if you're still hungry. There is plenty to go around."

The four teenagers loaded their plates and began eating. Luella slipped out.

"So how is studying going?" Eugene asked Mai.

"Well I'm starting to get the hang of circuits," Mai said. "Though the lack of reasonable explanation is somewhat frustrating."

"You mean Noll was unable to explain something?"

"Not without going into university level physics," Oliver muttered.

"And you don't think Mai is capable?" Eugene teased.

"I don't have the time to teach her," Oliver retorted.

"And yet you do have time to stay up til three AM to read fanfiction?"

Yasuhara and Mai had been sharing amused looks as the twins bickered, but on the mention of that last word, Mai went pale.

"You what?"

Eugene smirked in satisfaction as Oliver glared at him.

"Eugene is lying," Oliver said immediately.

Eugene rolled his eyes and picked up another piece of ravioli with his fork.

"Did Masako send it to you?" she hissed.

"She did not need to."

"But how did you know?" Mai pressed.

Eugene looked at Yasuhara, who was holding back a snigger.

"You spoke of it at lunch the other day," Oliver said.

"So you went looking for it? Oh my—"

"I happened across it."

Eugene burst out laughing.

Both Mai and Oliver glowered at him.

"So what did you think of Mai's work?" Yasuhara asked, curious.

"Ah! I don't want to know."

Mai slammed her hands over her ears and hummed loudly.

Oliver rolled her eyes.

"It was no more tedious than other fiction I've read. Though her choice of subject matter was… Interesting."

"What fandom was it even for?"

"Let's move on," Mai said loudly. "So what were you two up to earlier? Before Gene had his nap."

"Just chatting," Yasuhara lied. Eugene was impressed at his fluency.

"So I only get invited on the premise of studying and you get to just turn up and have fun?"

"Well you can leave if you want to?" Oliver suggested.

"I never said that," Mai whined. She stared down at her plate. "I'd just be nice to hang out…"

"Well once we've finished studying maybe we can 'hang out'."

"Wow, that almost sounded like you wanted to have fun," Eugene said.

Oliver sighed.

"What are you guys gonna get up to this afternoon?" Mai asked, sensing the tension and aiming to avoid it.

"I don't know," Eugene said. "What do you want to do?"

"Up to you," Yasuhara replied, smiling.

"Helpful."

"Yup." He popped the 'p' sound.

Eugene only rolled his eyes.

* * *

Later the following night, Eugene began receiving text messages.

 **Yasuhara: Heyyyyy GEeeennnnne**

 **Yasuhara: Hwot you doijng?!**

Eugene frowned. The lack of coherent sentences concerned him. Perhaps this was a prank?

 **Eugene: Yes?**

 **Yasuhara: I Misss hyoU!**

 **Yasuhara: WHhhhhhhhy dontn you come overrrrnow**

 **Yasuhara: WE could fuck**

His frown deepening, Eugene decided it had to be a prank.

 **Eugene: Whoever has stolen Yasuhara's phone, give it back.**

But the texts did not stop.

 **Yasuhara: DOn't you wanna**

 **Yasuhara: buut GEneuiiiiiits funnnnnu**

 **Yasuhara: your suhc a bututhuhs**

Eugene turned his phone off.

Now thoroughly distract from his Chemistry homework, Eugene pondered who on earth might have _borrowed_ Yasuhara's phone. Mai, perhaps?

Curious, Eugene headed to Oliver's room and knocked. He stuck his head through the door.

"Yes?"

"Is Mai texting you right now?" Eugene asked.

"Why?"

"Has she nicked Yasuhara's phone?"

"If she has, she has not told me about it. Why?"

Eugene pouted in concentration.

"I think someone has," he told his twin. "He sent me a load of weird texts…"

"Turn your phone off then."

"I have."

Oliver began writing again. Eugene showed himself out and returned to his room.

* * *

Eugene solved the mystery of Yasuhara's odd texts the following day in Maths.

"What were those texts about?" he asked.

But Yasuhara sat down without a word.

"Yasuhara?"

"Shut up, Gene."

Eugene recoiled and turned in his seat to face the front. He only half paid attention to the lesson and threw himself into his work when they were set questions.

As a result, he had a surprisingly productive lesson. He found integration much easier than differentiation, though Eugene supposed that paying attention while being taught it might have helped.

However, he did notice that Yasuhara was not doing any work. Eugene could hear him muttering under his breath. After Yasuhara's previous outburst, Eugene had no inclination to ask what was wrong, despite internally worrying.

At the end of the lesson, Eugene had every intention to leave the classroom without waiting. Yet Yasuhara called after him.

"Wait."

Eugene had never heard Yasuhara's voice sound so pathetic.

He wanted to keep walking, so Yasuhara knew how much he had hurt him. But he could not do it.

"What?" Eugene attempted to inject some venom into his voice.

"Just wait…"

Yasuhara watched as the rest of the class filed out of the room.

"Well?"

"I'm sorry. I can't come to lunch today. I have detention every lunchtime and after school. And I'm banned from leaving school premises at weekends too."

Eugene's previous anger dissipated and was replaced by confusion.

"Why?"

"Matron caught me with alcohol."

Eugene's mouth fell open.

"Why on earth did you have alcohol?!"

"One of the older boys gave me some. They didn't get caught. But that matron has it in for me."

Yasuhara scowled.

"Oh… So I can't see you for two weekends?"

"No. I better head off," Yasuhara muttered. Eugene rushed forward and embraced Yasuhara.

"We can text every day, okay?"

"Yeah."

He strode away, leaving Eugene with the feeling that Yasuhara did not believe that he would text him every day.

* * *

 **Eugene: Do you know anything about Yasuhara having alcohol last night?**

Eugene was a bad person. He was texting Mai about Yasuhara.

 **Mai: I heard rumours… Nothing concrete though.**

 **Eugene: What?**

 **Mai: Just that he stole some whiskey and drank most of the bottle. I heard he puked all over the matron…**

"Well shit," Eugene mumbled.

 **Mai: I just don't get why he would be drinking in the first place. Like that's just dumb…**

 **Eugene: He's not dumb!**

 **Mai: I know HE isn't, but drinking in dorms is!**

Eugene chose not to reply. Mai, however, did not think the conversation was over.

 **Mai: He should have been suspended from boarding! I would have lost my scholarship and been kicked out if I'd done it!**

Eugene's curiosity had been piqued.

 **Eugene: Suspended?**

 **Mai: Yeah for at least three days, no idea how he wasn't…**

Eugene frowned. But before his line of thought could go any further, someone shouted his name from downstairs.

Deserting his unfinished homework, Eugene headed down to the living room.

"Yes?"

"Gene, my boy, now you remember the other day when I was telling you about Lin?" Martin asked.

Eugene blinked.

"No."

"Oh you must do! He's one of my researchers at the university?"

"Right…" Eugene continued to look puzzled.

"Well he is a language expert."

"Okay?" He still did not see where this was going.

"Gene, come in and sit down," Luella insisted. Eugene obeyed.

"I was talking to him this morning and I mentioned you were doing A Level French," Martin rambled on. "And he very kindly offered to come and tutor you! Mainly for oral practice, but Lin is happy to check over any written pieces you have. Lin lived in France for a bit, did I tell you about that?"

Eugene shook his head.

"Well, he was studying Latin at the time. He's a language expert, you see. But he studied Latin for a semester in France, so picked up French on the side. He met a lovely young lady out there while he was at it. Absolutely heartbroken he was when she married some Frenchman. I can't quite remember her name… He hasn't been the same since. It's a shame."

"Yes, quite," Luella agreed. "Especially for poor Madoka. She's so smitten with him."

"She is, bless her," Martin said. "I keep trying to help her out. But he's not ready, I don't think. They would be so good for each other."

"Yes," Eugene interjected. "So he wants to help me?"

"Yes, I thought about inviting him around this weekend. But I don't want to intrude if you want to have your _petit ami_ around."

Martin chuckled at his own joke. Luella groaned.

"Well Yasuhara can't come around this weekend."

"Oh?" Luella looked disappointed. "How come? Is he okay?"

"Yeah," Eugene said quickly. "His father is coming to see him," he lied.

"Oh is that so? That's nice! Well in that case, Lin can come around on Sunday. Perhaps I will invite Madoka too, I wouldn't say no to catching up with her," Luella said.

"Cool, well, I should get on with my homework."

"Yes of course."

Eugene stood up, nodded his thanks to his parents and scarpered back upstairs. But before he could start on his homework, he texted Yasuhara.

 **Eugene: My parents wanted to invite you around this weekend, I told them your dad was visiting.**

 **Yasuhara: Right.**

 **Eugene: You okay?**

 **Yasuhara: Just dandy.**

Eugene had an inkling that Yasuhara was not dandy at all.

 **Eugene: What's up?**

 **Yasuhara: Nothing.**

 **Eugene: What are you up to? Homework.**

 **Yasuhara: Yup.**

Eugene huffed at his phone; Yasuhara was not exactly helping to facilitate conversation.

 **Eugene: Me too, french verb practice is so dull.**

 **Yasuhara: I bet.**

 **Eugene: Yeah…**

He gave up. Sighing, he returned to filling in the chart of French verb forms.

* * *

The following day, Oliver and Eugene went for yet another run. It was the first one that they had decided to up their mileage. Eugene had been pleasantly surprised to find that the extra mile had not entirely killed him.

"It's getting easier," he commented as Luella handed them their food at breakfast.

"Yes," Oliver agreed. "Though it is to be expected."

"Ah boys, I am so glad you two are doing this together," Luella said. "You should think about doing a charity run!"

"In fancy dress and everything?" Eugene suggested with an eye on his twin.

"No."

"Noll! Fancy dress would be so much fun!"

"I already have Mai attempting to coerce me to dress up for Halloween," he complained. "I am not doing it for a charity run."

"But you'd do the run?" Luella questioned.

"I suppose."

"What are you going to be for Halloween then?" Eugene asked.

"Mai currently wants to be Snow White, as Masako is doing a Disney theme," Oliver told them. "She wants me to be her Prince Charming."

There was a moment of silence before both Luella and Eugene burst out laughing.

"Thank you both for being so understanding of my plight."

"Oh Noll," Luella said. "It could be worse. You just need to wear a nice shirt or something."

"Yeah, then turn up with a cape and a plastic sword, which you can ditch as soon as Masako has taken a picture. And then you can spend the rest of the night in normal clothing."

"You are assuming I even want to go," Noll muttered.

"Do you want to go?"

"No."

"Are you going to go?"

"I suppose."

Luella smiled to herself as she wiped the work surfaces.

"You could always go as a vampire," Eugene suggested. "Just wear all black. We're both pale enough to pull off that."

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Vampires are not in Mai's favour at the moment."

"Why?"

"One of her school friends has been going on and on about that series about them."

"Twilight?"

"Probably." Oliver shrugged. "Mai doesn't like them anyway."

"I do have to say, Noll, that an awful lot of your plans seem to concern Mai," Luella teased.

"She is one of my closer acquaintances," Oliver replied.

"I'm going to go and shower," Eugene said as he scooped the last of his breakfast into his mouth. "Thanks Mum."

"No problem, dear. Now Noll, when are you going to ask Mai out properly?"

Eugene stifled a giggle at Oliver's sigh of exasperation.

* * *

Eugene was not looking forward to Maths that day. Primarily because he knew Yasuhara would still be in a foul mood. Eugene knew that it was not really Yasuhara's fault for his current temperament, but it did not stop it ruining the little time they had together.

He had almost suggested sneaking out so they could see each other after school, but as he held no desire to get Yasuhara in more trouble, Eugene held his tongue.

Two weeks was not that long after all. Once it was up, they would be free to spend every lunch time together.

The lesson was as tense as Eugene expected it to be. Yasuhara was restless beside him and Eugene could do nothing to soothe his pain.

"And how are we getting on back here?" Miss Smith asked as she swooped over to them. "Mr Davis, are you okay?"

"Yes Miss," Eugene replied. Miss Smith knew better than to bother Oliver, who was working away in his corner.

"Mr Yasuhara?"

Yasuhara grunted.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"I'm fine," he spat.

"Now, now, no need for that tone."

"No need to be leering over me like that."

Miss Smith straightened up, frowning at Yasuhara with her hands on her hips.

"I will not tolerate language like that."

Yasuhara rolled his eyes.

Eugene wanted to scream at him to stop, that taking his anger out on Miss Smith— who was a lovely teacher really— was not going to do him any good. But he could not speak.

"I'll see you at the end of the lesson."

"Great."

Miss Smith walked over to the next group of students to check on them.

"Chill out Yasuhara," Eugene muttered. "Miss Smith doesn't mean you any harm."

"I know that," he muttered. "Just…"

He shook his head and looked back down at his work.

Eugene made to touch his shoulder, wanting to comfort him. But Yasuhara flinched away.

Pain flared in Eugene's chest. He hated seeing someone he cared for so deeply hurting so much.

At the end of the lesson, Eugene paused before leaving. He leaned towards Yasuhara before choosing his words carefully.

"I'm on your side, remember that."

* * *

 **Author's note: Okay so Mai x Noll stuff starts more from chapter 14 onwards so you'll have to wait until then for that. Sorry.**


	11. Part 1: Chapter 11

Lin arrived a little before noon on Sunday. Martin pointed him in the direction of Eugene's room, ignoring Luella's offers of a hot beverage.

He did not knock.

"Hello," Eugene said upon his entry.

"Bonjour," Lin replied. Eugene mentally swore and wished he had prepared more for this.

"I'm sorry Dad made you do this," Eugene said.

Lin shook his head, brushing the apology aside.

"What topics do you want to discuss?" Lin asked. His voice was low and gave Eugene no reassurance that he was not hating every minute of being here.

"Well we've just finished television and viewing habits."

And Lin was off, babbling away in French with Eugene struggling to keep up. He felt like every few sentences he had to ask Lin to slow down and repeat himself. Before the session, Eugene thought he had been okay at French, but now he was starting to doubt himself.

"Pouvez-vous répéter plus lentement, s'il vous plaît?" Eugene said, for the umpteenth time.

"D'accord…" Lin sighed.

"Je suis désolé," Eugene mumbled.

Lin opened his mouth to speak, but they were interrupted by Eugene's bedroom door opening.

"Our dearest mother has asked us all to come down for lunch soon as her guest is here," Oliver deadpanned.

"Guest?" Eugene questioned.

"Guess."

Lin looked between the twins with a concerned look on his face.

"She didn't actually…" Eugene groaned.

"She did."

"We're sorry Lin."

"What?"

"Come on," Eugene said. "Let's get this over with."

The twins and Lin entered the dining room to find Luella fussing over lunch. Martin was sat at the head of the table, pursuing some article in an academic magazine. On his left was Luella's guest.

The young woman looked to be in her mid-twenties. Before the boys had entered, she had been twiddling her thumbs. Lin was the first to notice her, and coughed awkwardly as a result.

"Ah boys, wonderful," Luella said, looking up. "Do take a seat! Noll, sit by Madoka. Lin and Eugene, please sit on this side." She gestured as she spoke before darting out of the room.

Madoka's face changed colour rapidly when she set eyes on Lin, who had sat down opposite her. Her blush almost matched her bright pink hair.

"Lin, how nice to see you! Luella didn't mention you were here," she said. Her voice was calm, despite her obvious embarrassment.

"Oh yes," Martin interjected. "Lin has been helping Gene with his French."

"How kind of him," Madoka said. "Though it would be a shame for a man of such talent not to share his skills."

"Exactly," Martin agreed. "How is Gene doing?"

"Better than I expected," Lin said.

Gene's eyes widened in shock, but he dared not speak. After spending the morning stumbling over his words, he had not expected praise of any form. Opposite him, he could see Oliver smirking.

"Wonderful," Luella said as she re-entered. "Please, everyone help yourself!"

Food soon replaced conversation, despite Luella's obvious attempts to get Madoka and Lin to speak. Her plan stretched so far as to banish the twins upstairs after the meal so the 'adults could talk'.

Neither Eugene or Oliver minded this though, and willingly departed.

"Poor Lin," Eugene mumbled. "I was hoping Dad would help him out, but he's been left to fend Madoka and Mum off…"

"Lin can handle those two."

They separated at the top of the stairs to their own bedrooms. As Eugene closed the door behind him, he heard his phone vibrate.

 **Yasuhara: How is your French tutoring?**

 **Eugene: Dreadful! I didn't realise how bad I was…**

 **Yasuhara: Really? He can't be that good of a teacher if he makes you feel bad.**

Eugene frowned at the text.

 **Eugene: Well he didn't exactly want to be here. My dad made him come.**

 **Yasuhara: Right…**

 **Yasuhara: Want to see me in the park?**

Eugene's frown deepened.

 **Eugene: But you're not allowed out?**

 **Yasuhara: Fine. If you don't want to see me.**

 **Eugene: I do want to see you! I just don't want you to get in more trouble!**

Yasuhara took a little while to respond. Eugene drummed his fingers against his thigh in impatience.

 **Yasuhara: Well I'm going to the park if you want to see me then come.**

Eugene growled in frustration. Of course he wanted to go! Why on earth would he not want to go?! But going would only endorse Yasuhara's bad behaviour. And if they got caught…

He could get in trouble too.

Yet this thought did not stop him from standing up to search for socks and a jumper. The weather had taken a turn for the worst in the last few days. It was not raining today, but the trees in their back garden were swaying in the wind.

He bounded down the stairs and listened for voices. It sounded like the adults were in the living room. Eugene stuck his head through the door.

"I'm just going for a walk," he said.

"You are? Okay dear," Luella said. "Take a coat."

"Will do. Thanks again Lin."

Lin nodded and Eugene retreated into the hallway. He pulled on his jacket, but could not help but overhear some of the conversation.

The words 'Noll' and 'Mai' were being used quite frequently by his mother.

As Eugene left the house, he pulled his mobile out of his pocket and began to text Oliver.

 **Eugene: Mum is discussing you and Mai, just a heads up.**

 **Oliver: OK.**

He sighed at his twin's lack of outward appreciation before pocketing his phone. The wind chilled his exposed fingers and Eugene silently cursed himself for not bringing gloves.

* * *

Eugene was surprised to find Yasuhara already in the park that was otherwise devoid of people.

"Hey, you came."

"You really shouldn't be here," Eugene muttered. "If you get caught… I don't want you in any more trouble!"

"Hey that wasn't my fault!" Yasuhara protested.

"I know."

Eugene opened his arms up for a hug, that Yasuhara reluctantly accepted.

"Do you want to go for a coffee?" Yasuhara suggested. "It is kind of cold out here."

"Sure," Eugene said.

As they walked, Eugene told Yasuhara about his mother's plans to set up Lin and Madoka. Yasuhara listened, but did not ask any questions.

When they arrived at the coffee shop, Yasuhara instructed Eugene to find them a seat while he bought the drinks. Eugene opted for a comfy looking sofa by the window. He pulled his jacket off and draped it over the back of the sofa.

"Here we go," Yasuhara said, setting down the tray in front of them. Eugene took a moment to appreciate the foam art on the top of his drink. "That isn't one of the tops I bought you is it?"

The question caught Eugene off guard.

"No, they're all in the wash."

"Yeah," Yasuhara said with a sneer. "Anyway, so Mai has been bitching at me all week 'cos I got in trouble. Like everytime I see her, she goes off on some self righteous rant."

"Oh, that sucks," Eugene mumbled.

"Yeah, I mean she can be alright some of the time," Yasuhara conceded. "But she seriously needs to take a chill pill."

"Yeah…"

"Though that's probably why your brother has been giving me evils all week. Like, there was a time when I worried about mixing you up. But there is no way I can mistake his permanent scowl."

"Yeah, he can be a bit grumpy," Eugene said. He drank some of his coffee.

"I'm so glad you're not like that," Yasuhara went on. "I mean it would really suck if you were both stuck up your own arses."

"He's not that bad…"

Yasuhara raised an eyebrow at Eugene.

"Really? Look I know he's your brother and all, but he's a dick."

Eugene did not want to say anything, so took another sip of his coffee.

"How is your running coming along?" Yasuhara asked after a pause. Eugene had mentioned he had taken up running during the week, giving the excuse of wanting to improve his fitness.

Well it was not really an excuse, but it definitely was not the entire truth. But telling Yasuhara that his intentions had been to impress him sounded lame.

"Alright. Managed five KM the other day," Eugene said with a small smile.

"That's what? Three miles?"

"About that yeah."

"So not exactly a marathon."

"Well no," Eugene admitted. "But better than last week."

"I suppose," Yasuhara said. "Are you gonna do a marathon?"

"Well, I don't know… That's really daunting sounding…"

"I think you should. You'd end up so fit as a result," Yasuhara said. Eugene watched as his eyes ran over him. "It'd be good for you."

"Do you wanna do it with me?" Eugene asked, nudging Yasuhara on the arm.

"Woah, watch it, I almost spilt my coffee!"

"Sorry."

"And no, I do not wanna do it with you," Yasuhara went on. "Running isn't my thing."

"You've tried it?"

"Nah, it's just not my thing."

"Oh. Okay."

Eugene finished his coffee and stared out of the window.

Several people walked past the cafe, wrapped up in their own lives. Eugene watched them pass wordlessly. He spotted couples holding hands. A mother doing up her daughter's coat.

The trees began swaying in the wind and Eugene could see dark clouds in the distance; it would likely rain later.

"We should head off."

Eugene nodded and stood up. He pulled on his jacket and Yasuhara took his hand.

They walked together through the streets. Yasuhara made their hands swing and he grinned at Eugene, who could not quite smile back.

"I'm so glad you came out," Yasuhara said. "I know I complained a bit, but I really needed someone to just listen, you know?"

"You didn't really complain a lot!" Eugene objected.

"I did, but thanks for saying so."

Yasuhara smile faltered a little.

"No! It's okay, you need to get this stuff out," Eugene hastened to say. "I'm glad I could help you out."

Yasuhara leant forwards, kissed Eugene on the cheek and pulled back.

"I should head off."

"Yeah. Text me later?"

"Of course."

Eugene smiled as Yasuhara walked away. Then he turned and let his shoulders sag.

The walk home took longer than Eugene thought it had any right too. He stifled a yawn as he let himself in.

"Ah Gene, Lin and Madoka were just leaving," Luella said as Eugene pulled his jacket off.

"Oh, bye," Eugene mumbled.

"Are you alright dear?"

"Yeah, just got a lot on my mind."

Luella pulled her son in for a hug. Considering he was almost a head taller than her, it was not quite the reassuring act she had intended.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Eugene replied, conscious of Lin and Madoka watching them. "I'm gonna go and get on with my homework."

Eugene felt everyone's eyes on him as he climbed the stairs. He slammed his bedroom door and flopped on his bed, annoyed with himself for making such a racket.

It took two minutes for someone to come and interrupt his private thoughts.

"Luella is worried about you."

Eugene did not need to move to know that Oliver had entered his room.

"So she sent you?"

"Apparently so," Oliver muttered. "Though I am not entirely sure why."

Oliver took a seat on Eugene's desk chair and stared expectantly at him.

"So," Oliver prompted.

"So what?"

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing."

Oliver sighed. Eugene sat up.

"It's Yasuhara, isn't it?"

"Why do you think it's got anything to do with him?" Eugene challenged.

"Well you just went to see him."

"How do you know that?"

"You just gave it away," Oliver said, sighing again. "What did he do to upset you?"

"Nothing. I'm not upset."

"Then why have you stopped eating?"

Eugene recoiled, he had not expected that question.

"I haven't…"

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"You have eaten less and less at every meal."

"What are you? My mother? If I'm not hungry I won't eat!" Eugene's voice rose as he spoke.

Oliver stared at him long and hard before standing up. He walked to the door and his hand reached for the knob. Then Oliver paused and turned back around. Eugene glared at his twin, daring him to speak.

"I'm on your side, remember that."

He left without another word.

Eugene growledafter him. Anger growing in his chest, he launched his pillow at the door before throwing a fist into the mattress next to him.

* * *

At dinner that night, Eugene made a point of eating everything on his plate, taking seconds and eating all of those too.

Only this had the adverse effect of making him feel sick.

He puked up most of that night's dinner later in the evening. The only relief for Eugene was that no one heard him.

However the lack of food in his stomach meant that his morning run with Oliver the next day was torture. The only thing that kept him going was sheer anger at his twin.

When they got back from the run, Eugene went straight upstairs to shower, hoping the cold water would clear his head.

Oliver was waiting outside the bathroom when he finished. Eugene did not pay him any notice as he returned to his room and dressed for the school day.

"Eugene, dear, I've made you some breakfast," Luella called up the stairs. "I have to head to work early, so help yourself, okay?"

"Will do Mum!" Eugene shouted back. He threw his tie around his neck and did it up before grabbing his school bag and his blazer.

Oliver was still in the shower as Eugene entered the kitchen. He took one look at the food and gagged. Greasy eggs were piled on top of fat sausages that sat beside a positive mountain of slightly burnt eggy potato.

Ideas of catching a bug flew round his head as he binned the food and shoved a piece of bread in the toaster. Toast was a safe food. Toast would not make him feel sick.

Oliver left for school without Eugene, not that he cared.

"Idiotic moron," Eugene muttered as he began his own walk alone. He was not entirely sure if he was talking about himself, or his brother.

* * *

The day did not go well for Eugene. He had forgotten to put his Biology homework in his bag and he had somehow lost his Maths textbook between his locker and getting to the classroom.

Oliver continued to ignore Eugene at lunch, which in turn meant the girls talked amongst themselves. Eugene ate as much as he wanted of his food before departing for the library. He held no desire to sit by himself staring at a plate of half eaten food.

At the library he drilled French verbs and Biology terms.

This went on for the rest of the week. Eugene took solace in the few hours he had with Yasuhara and the conversations they held by text.

The teachers had noticed that the half term holidays were approaching. Lesson after lesson, Eugene and the other lower sixth students endured lectures of how much would they would be required to do over their week off. As if by mentioning it this early, the students would be used to the idea when half term finally rolled around.

At least next week he would be able to see Yasuhara at lunchtimes. That would make his life more bearable.

* * *

 **Author's note: Hey! Look at that! I totally updated on time! (Thank you diary for reminding me!)**


	12. Part 1: Chapter 12

The final week before the half term holidays saw Yasuhara's return to normal student life. He was free of his two weeks of detention.

Mai had been so overjoyed that she and Masako had procured a cake for them all to share at lunchtime.

Unsurprisingly, Oliver did not have any. But Eugene neglected his real lunch in favour of a single small slice of the victoria sponge. Mai offered him a larger piece, but Eugene rejected it, saying that he would not have room for his real lunch later.

"I can't tell you how boring it's been!" Mai whined to Yasuhara. "Oliver refuses to talk and Gene has been doing work every lunchtime!"

"What? Am I not good enough company for you?" Masako huffed.

Yasuhara laughed.

"Of course you are," Mai said quickly. "But you admitted it's nicer to have everyone together!"

"Yeah, which reminds me," Masako said. "I've got your official invites for my Halloween Party!"

She pulled several pieces of orange card from her bag and handed one to each of her friends.

"Saturday 29th," Eugene read out. "I have a feeling our parents are away then?" He looked to Oliver, who shrugged.

"Disney themed fancy dress," Yasuhara mused. "What black haired duos are there?"

"Aladdin and Princess Jasmine?" Masako suggested.

"Oh yes, Gene you'd look great as Princess Jasmine," Yasuhara teased.

"What? Why do I have to be the girl?" Eugene protested.

"Or Mulan and Shang?" Mai said.

"I'm Japanese, not Chinese," Yasuhara muttered.

"And Aladdin was set in the middle east?" Masako said. "You'd hardly be right for that either. You're both too pasty."

"Masako, we live in England," Eugene deadpanned. "It's not like this is a country known for it's occupants getting a tan."

"How about Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee?" Oliver proposed.

"I'm surprised you have even watched them," Yasuhara replied with a laugh, unoffended. Eugene, however, scowled at his twin. Oliver ignored him.

"What are you and Mai going as?" Masako asked.

"You're assuming I am going."

"What? Please come!" Mai begged. She seemed to realise how pathetic her words had sounded as she hastened to continue. "It'll be better if we're all there together!"

Oliver shrugged again, seemingly unbothered.

* * *

Yasuhara and Eugene arranged during the week to meet up on Saturday and sort out their costumes together.

 **Yasuhara: What time are we meeting today? We could get lunch together?**

 **Eugene: Can't, Mum's already started our lunch. How about 1PM?**

 **Yasuhara: Sure!**

It was a lie. Luella had not started lunch. But Eugene had bigger problems right now. Like the fact that none of his nice T-shirts were clean.

"I was sure I put them out…" he muttered to himself. He began to pull out every item of clothing he owned onto the bed, checking as he went for anything that would pass as halfway decent.

A knock on his door interrupted his search.

"Come in."

"Is this yours?"

Oliver was holding one of Eugene's nice shirts.

"Yes!"

He snatched it from Oliver and sniffed it.

"It's clean," Oliver muttered. "Luella put it in my washing pile by mistake."

"Right." Eugene pulled it on.

"Are you eating with us?"

"No," Eugene answered. "I'm getting something in Town."

"Promise?"

Eugene frowned at Oliver.

"What?"

"Promise you'll eat?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Oliver looked for a moment as if he wanted to say more, but he chose not to. He left, leaving Eugene to check his reflection in the mirror.

He picked up a comb and tried to style his hair. He brushed it forward, then picked a parting and combed it sideways.

Having never bothered to comb his hair before, Eugene was slightly shocked how different it made him look.

He liked it.

He ran the comb through his hair one more time for good measure. Then he grabbed socks, shoes and his jacket. Once he'd finished dressing, he checked his appearance again.

He had shaved his chin's attempt at a beard off that morning. So his face was smooth. He felt the change in his hairstyle made his face look slightly more angular, more adult.

Different from his twin…

Eugene shook the thought away and picked up his wallet before leaving his bedroom.

"You off now?" Luella asked as he reached the front door. "Is Yasuhara coming back for tea?"

"I don't know," Eugene admitted. "I'll let you know though."

"Okay, preferably before four okay?"

"Okay, thanks Mum."

Eugene slipped out the front door and began walking.

He met Yasuhara just outside the shopping centre.

"Hey!" Yasuhara greeted him with a hug. "What happened to your hair? Here let me fix it."

Before Eugene could protest, Yasuhara had reached up and ruffled his hair back into it's usual style. Hitching a smile on his face, Eugene took Yasuhara's offered hand and they began walking.

"Do you want a coffee to go?" Yasuhara asked. "I'm parched."

"Sure."

Once they had grabbed coffee, they began walking and discussing potential costumes.

"I am not wearing a dress," Eugene stated. "Just no."

"Why not? I bet you'd look really cute in one!" Yasuhara teased. Eugene could not withhold a grin.

"I'll wear one if you do," he teased back.

"I would look stunning in a dress," Yasuhara said, throwing his nose in the air. Eugene laughed at his pompous behaviour. "Alright no dresses. Genderbend all the way! Disney really needs to get on the whole gay couples thing."

"Yeah," Eugene said. "Two dashing young men fighting their way through something…"

"Adventures somewhere… Far away," Yasuhara agreed with a wistful smile. "You and me against the world, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I've got it. Beauty and the Beast!"

"I said no dresses—"

"No, genderbend it! Hear me out. It's set in France right? You can be a genderbent Belle, or would it be Beau? That would be so adorable!"

"What? And you're going to be the Beast?"

"Yeah, but post transformation," Yasuhara said, chuckling. "It'd be dead simple to make. Just trousers tucked in socks and a fancy shirt. You'd need a blue apron thingy, unless you want to try and do the yellow dress as a formal male outfit?" Eugene shook his head. "So apron thingy and shirt… This will be easy!"

"Oh dear…"

"Come on, Beau." Yasuhara yanked Eugene forwards and stuck his tongue out. "We have shopping to do!"

They managed to locate most of their costumes in the next few hours. After which, they ended up in another coffee shop.

"I am knackered," Eugene muttered. "Hey, do you want to come round for tea tonight?"

"Can't."

"How come?"

"I'm going back to London in the morning. I need to pack."

Eugene almost dropped his coffee.

"But—"

"It's half term, isn't it? I can't stay in the boarding house during the holidays. I'm back next Saturday."

An icy feeling spread over Eugene's skin.

"Oh… I was hoping we could have hung out."

"Yeah, me too," Yasuhara lamented. "I get to be stuck in London with no friends."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't want to upset you, duh."

Eugene frowned.

"Oh…"

"But I'm back for the party, I made sure of that! That's why I wanted to spend today with you too!"

"Yeah… I ought to text Mum, tell her you're not joining us."

Eugene pulled out his phone, deposited his coffee on the table and began to text.

 **Eugene: Won't be home for dinner, we're getting something out. Won't be home late! Love, Gene.**

"Aww, you're so cute," Yasuhara said, reading over his shoulder. "But I can't stay out for dinner, they expect me back at the boarding house for that."

"I know, but otherwise I'll have to head home earlier to eat," Eugene countered. "I'd rather stay out with you."

Yasuhara smiled, reached over and kissed Eugene on the cheek.

"I'm so lucky to have you," he said in a low voice. "I really don't know what I would do without you."

"You don't need me," Eugene replied.

"I do, Gene. I don't think you realise how much better you make my life."

Eugene smiled bashfully.

"You'll text me though? While you're in London?"

"Of course I will! I'll have nothing else to do!" Yasuhara said. He took Eugene's hand in his own and gave it a quick squeeze.

They wandered around the shopping centre for a few hours, not really looking at anything in particular.

When they parted, Eugene's heart filled with sorrow. He had hoped half term would have meant study dates at the very least. Just more time than they had now. Something more than lunchtimes and Maths lessons.

If they had more time together, maybe Yasuhara would be happier.

* * *

"Are you running this morning?"

Eugene woke on Monday morning to find Oliver in his doorway.

"What?"

"Are you running this morning?"

Eugene struggled into a sitting position and yawned.

"I… I'm really tired."

"Do you want to go later?" Oliver inquired.

"I don't know… I didn't sleep great."

"Okay, we'll go tomorrow."

"Yeah…"

Eugene sank back into his bed.

"How come you couldn't sleep?"

Eugene groaned at Oliver.

"Just couldn't get to sleep, alright?"

He waited a moment before turning his head to look at the door. But Oliver had left.

A Levels really had been taking their toll on Eugene. The half term holidays had come and Eugene had crashed. But he figured he could have a few days off.

It somehow made it worse that Oliver did not seem to be suffering any ill effects. Bastard.

Eugene did not roll out of bed until almost lunchtime. He tried a cold shower to wake him up, but that only resulted in him shivering.

"My dear, are you okay?" Luella greeted him as he entered the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"Can I have some tea?" Eugene asked.

"Of course you can, I was just thinking of making some. I wonder if Noll— Ah! Noll, do you want tea?"

Eugene looked around to see his twin entering the kitchen.

"Please."

"Where is Mai this week?" Eugene asked. "Yasuhara had to go home, but Mai doesn't—"

"She arranged to stay with Masako."

"She can do that?"

"As long as social services agree, she can."

"I wish Yasuhara had asked to stay with us," Eugene muttered.

"Maybe another time, hmm?" Luella suggested.

"Yeah."

Luella handed out the tea.

"Any plans for today?"

"I have been requested by Mai to visit Masako's house for a fitting," Oliver said, obviously disgruntled.

"Wonderful, for your halloween costume I presume?"

"Yes."

"And what are you going to be?"

"No idea," Oliver said. "Mai is making it and promised it would not be too OTT."

"I ought to get on with mine," Eugene mumbled. "Maybe I'll do that this evening."

"I thought you said you'd got all of your stuff together?"

"Well yeah, but I want to check it all works together, so if I need to change anything."

"Sounds like a good plan," Luella agreed. "Now I can't remember if we told you, but this weekend your father and I have been invited to a dinner party at an old friend of ours."

"Who?"

"Do you remember Ayako and Houshou?"

"The doctor and failed musician?" Oliver clarified.

"Houshou is not a failed musician," Luella objected calmly. "He is now teaching music—"

"So he's a failed musician," Eugene interrupted. "Those that can, do."

"Those that can't, teach," Oliver finished.

The two twins smirked at each other at the look of exasperation of their mother's face.

"I might remind you that your father spends half his time at the university teaching."

Oliver coughed pointedly.

"Anyway," Luella went on with a sigh. "We will be away for that night. As it is too far to drive back, we'll be staying the night in a hotel and returning on Sunday morning. We discussed it and decided you are both old enough to look after yourselves. But if you are unhappy with this, then I'm sure we can find someone to—"

"But Masako's party is that evening," Eugene pointed out. "We can still go right?"

"Of course," Luella said. "As long as you know we won't be able to give you a lift back."

Oliver nodded.

Eugene excuse himself and returned to his room with the remainder of his tea. He pulled out the stuff he had bought for his costume and laid it out on his bed.

A vibration caught his attention

 **Yasuhara: I can't wait to see you on Saturday!**

 **Eugene: Likewise :)**

But the smiling emoticon did not extend to his face.

* * *

The night before Masako's party found Eugene sat in his room, desperately trying to get through all his homework.

 **Yasuhara: You up to much?**

 **Eugene: Nah, just homework. You?**

 **Yasuhara: Met up with an old friend today!**

 **Yasuhara sent a picture message!**

Eugene waited for the image to load, only to be assault by the image of Yasuhara with his arms around another boy.

Another boy who happened to be very attractive. He was tall, blonde and blue eyed. His t-shirt clung to well defined muscles.

 **Yasuhara: That's Chris, my best friend from my old school.**

Eugene decided he did not like the way that Yasuhara was smiling at Chris in this photo.

 **Eugene: Cool.**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah! It was really nice catching up with him!**

 **Eugene: What did you get up to?**

 **Yasuhara: We just hung out, he bought me coffee. He's a great gay!**

 **Yasuhara: *guy sorry, autocorrect.**

Eugene frowned, paranoid that the autocorrect was an excuse.

 **Eugene: Is he gay?**

 **Yasuhara: Chris? I wish...**

 **Eugene: Right.**

He threw his phone onto his bed. Yasuhara was deliberately trying to make him jealous.

Eugene hated that it was working.

He picked his phone back up and stared at the image. This Chris guy could have been a model. Knowing Eugene's luck, he probably was. How could he compete with that?

 **Yasuhara: Are you okay? What's wrong?**

Eugene did not want to reply. He just stared at his phone, not knowing how to react.

 **Yasuhara: Are you jealous?**

 **Yasuhara: Didn't I just say he wasn't gay?**

 **Yasuhara: Gene? Why aren't you answering?**

Eugene picked up his phone with shaking hands. A flurry of emotions whirled in his chest.

 **Eugene: Do you want him to be gay?**

 **Yasuhara: Well, it would be better if he was…**

Tears welled up in Eugene's eyes.

A knock on his door forced him to wipe away the tears.

"Mai just texted," Oliver said as he stuck his head in. "She wants to know if we'd be willing to go along early and help set up the decorations."

"Sure."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Eugene turned his back to Oliver.

"Okay. I'll let her know then."

Oliver left, which somehow made Eugene feel worse.

He plugged his phone into the charger, put it on silent and changed into his pyjamas. After brushing his teeth, Eugene climbed into bed and gazed into the dark abyss.

He knew that he was probably just overreacting. He knew that there was no reason to be jealous. Yasuhara was with him. Not with that Chris person.

He silently begged for sleep.

Everything would be better in the morning.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well I almost opened the wrong story this morning and gave you chapter 12 of the wrong fic oops. The next chapter is a horrible chapter so get ready for that! I will put another warning on it, but mentally prepare yourself.**

 **Please review :)**


	13. Part 1: Chapter 13

**Author's note: WARNING HEAVY TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER. By this I mean bad _bad_ sexual stuff happens. I do not condone the behaviour of one of the characters in this chapter.**

* * *

Luella and Martin were kind enough to drop Eugene and Oliver off at Masako's house, where they were enthusiastically greeted by Mai.

"Come on," she said, ushering them inside. "Masako! The twins are here!"

Masako stuck her head over the top of the banister from the upper landing.

"Hey! You've got your costumes right?"

"Of course," Eugene replied, lifting a carrier bag so she could see.

"Excellent. Well come on, we've got decorations to put up!"

Eugene and Oliver soon realised they had only been invited early because Mai and Masako were both too short to reach anything remotely high up. Mai attempted at one point to help and almost fell off the chair she had balanced on.

Fortunately, Oliver had caught her.

Which in turn left Mai scarlet faced for the rest of their decorating session.

Masako's mother provided them all with dinner in the form of a buffet. Or rather, she let them have first dibs on the food that would be put out for the party.

"Thank you so much for you help," Masako gushed. "It looks great."

"Are we putting anything in the garden?"

"Oh! I almost forgot," Masako said, raising a hand to her mouth. "Yes, we'll do that after we've eaten. There isn't a lot."

Masako's idea of 'not a lot' turned out to be the exact opposite. Eugene and Oliver, who had previously been utilised for their height, were now being used for strength.

Something neither of them were particularly prepared for.

"Now if you just want to move that coffin over here," Masako instructed, pointing.

"What has this got in it?" Eugene grumbled. "It weighs a tonne!"

"A body, of course," Masako replied with a sickly sweet smile.

"A real one?"

Masako nodded, then burst out laughing at the look on Eugene's face. Mai paused in decorating the door with cobwebs to look around.

"Oh Gene, you're so cute," Mai teased.

The twins dumped the coffin down as requested by Masako. Eugene huffed at the girls.

The teenagers all got changed once the exterior decorations were complete.

Guests began arriving soon after. Masako set Eugene to take pictures of everyone's costumes as they entered.

Yasuhara turned up, looking dashingly handsome in Eugene's opinion.

"Aww! You two make a pair!" Mai squealed. She was dressed as Ariel. "Let me take a picture of you both together."

She snatched the camera from Eugene's hands. Yasuhara wrapped his arm around Eugene's shoulder and pulled him close.

"Smile!"

Eugene smiled at the camera, unaware that Yasuhara's focus was on him and not the camera in front of them.

Mai took the picture and handed the camera back.

"Will you get one of Oliver and me?"

"You reckon he'll agree to that?" Yasuhara teased.

"I made his costume! He better do!" Mai huffed.

She disappeared through the crowd and reappeared a moment later dragging Oliver behind her.

Oliver was dressed as Prince Eric. Eugene had to give it to Mai that she had dressed him in the least fussy way imaginable.

"Right, squish together," Eugene said as he raised the camera to look through the viewfinder. "Smile!"

Mai beamed. But Oliver remained stony faced.

"Noll, smile properly. Pretend you want to be here!" Eugene scolded playfully.

Oliver sighed, then put his arm around Mai's shoulders, much like Yasuhara had done to Eugene. Mai blushed, but continued to smile. Oliver tugged the edge of his lips up and Eugene snapped the shot.

"Lovely."

"Thank's Gene," Mai said.

"Mai, might I have a word? In private?" Oliver asked. Yasuhara and Eugene shared a look.

"Of course," Mai replied. "Come on."

She led him away.

Yasuhara and Eugene watched them retreat into the crowd.

"So what was that all about yesterday? You weren't jealous of Chris were you?" Yasuhara asked.

In the flurry of excitement that had been the beginning of the party had caused Eugene to forget his previous grievances.

"Oh, yeah I guess," he admitted.

"You idiot," Yasuhara said with a chuckle. "He's strictly religious and stuff. It would have been better if he was gay so that he would have accepted me. It was kind of hard trying to come out when your best friend thinks you're the literal embodiment of sin."

"Oh shit… I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," Yasuhara said.

"Why did you meet up with him?"

"Well apart from the whole him hating gays thing, he's a really nice guy. We had fun."

Eugene shook his head in disbelief.

"Let's get some food," he suggested, not that he was really hungry.

Yasuhara, however, was happy to load up his plate and tuck into the various party food items on display.

"Twister!" Masako declared. Her eyes searched around for Mai, but settled on Eugene and Yasuhara. "Gene, Yasuhara, you'll play right?"

"Sure," Yasuhara agreed. Then he whispered into Eugene's ear, "Anything to get closer to you."

Eugene batted him playfully on the arm and rolled his eyes, but his smile gave away his not-so-secret enjoyment of Yasuhara's words.

Masako recruited a few more willing volunteers. As she was dressed as Snow White, she could hardly partake herself, so Masako began reading off the spinner.

Eugene soon found himself propped up on 3 limbs, a leg in the air and his face in someone else's crotch. He was not sure whose crotch it was, but breathed a sigh of relief when they moved on Masako's instructions.

And were soon replaced by Yasuhara leering over him.

"Hello cutie," Yasuhara said, sticking his tongue out.

"Hey yourself," Eugene replied.

"Gene, right leg blue."

Eugene glanced around and spotted an easy to reach blue circle. He stuck his leg down and sighed in relief. Though his body was not particularly spread out, the extra support eased the pressure on his other leg.

"This would be a lot more fun if we were naked," Yasuhara whispered, so only Eugene could hear. "And we were alone."

"I have a feeling that if that was the case, we wouldn't be playing Twister," Eugene hissed back.

"You know me so well."

The game ended when Yasuhara collapsed on top of Eugene, which in turn sent everyone playing sprawling due the entanglement of their legs.

"Get off," Eugene moaned from the bottom of the pile. "You're all so heavy!"

He sighed with relief as the pressure on top of his body was relieved. Yasuhara gave him a hand up.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a little winded," Eugene replied. "Can we get some air?"

"Sure."

Yasuhara led him through the crowds as Masako began another game with new victims.

Once outside, Eugene became fully aware of just how loud the party was. Music blared and laughter could be heard.

"Better?"

"Much."

Yasuhara leaned in and kissed Eugene gently on the lips.

"I'm sorry about the mix up yesterday," Eugene mumbled. "I just wasn't thinking straight."

"It's alright," Yasuhara replied. "We're all idiots at times."

Eugene managed a half smile.

"Do you want to head back in?"

"I was thinking we could head elsewhere," Yasuhara replied. "Your parents are away right?"

"Yeah," Eugene said, frowning.

"Well, we could head back to yours, have some time alone…"

The suggestive hints were strong in Yasuhara's tone.

"But… The party…?"

"Well if you don't—"

"I do!" Eugene hastened to add. "But we should at least say goodbye?"

"Masako won't even notice we're gone!" Yasuhara insisted. "Come on!"

Eugene hesitated for a moment.

"Okay."

Yasuhara grinned and grabbed Eugene's hand.

"Come on! I'll race you!"

They sprinted through the streets. Eugene was soon out of breath and panting but Yasuhara did not relent. Shame filled Eugene at his poor level of fitness. Had he and Oliver not been running enough?

They slowed to a walk as they neared the Davis household.

"I should… Have told… Noll…" Eugene managed between gasping breaths.

"Why?" Yasuhara asked. "He'd only be a spoil sport about the whole thing! Have you got a key?"

"Yeah…"

Eugene let them in and shut the door. No sooner than he had pulled off his shoes than Yasuhara pinned him to the wall and kissed him.

Still breathless from running, Eugene returned the kiss until he ran out of oxygen. Yasuhara pulled back and took Eugene's hand.

He stepped backwards, gazing with intensity into Eugene's eyes.

"Come on," he ushered. Smirking, Yasuhara started up the stairs, Eugene in tow.

Once in Eugene's bedroom, Yasuhara pulled off his shirt before cupping Eugene's face and kissing him once again. His hands trailed down to the buttons of Eugene's shirt and undid them.

Eugene let his own hands roam over Yasuhara's body. Nagging thoughts drifted around the back of his head, but he pushed them away. He tried to focus on Yasuhara.

On making Yasuhara happy.

Yasuhara's lips trailed down Eugene's neck as he pulled the shirt from his body. Trousers followed soon after that, leaving the two young men in only their boxers.

"I want you so badly," Yasuhara groaned. His hand reached down and cupped Eugene's crotch.

Eugene wanted to respond somehow.

"Get on the bed," Yasuhara instructed with a push. Eugene stumbled over his trousers and landed on the bed. "I've got an idea."

"What?" Eugene tried to keep the trepidation from his voice.

"Trust me," Yasuhara replied silkily. "It'll be fun."

Eugene squashed the doubt in his mind. He did trust Yasuhara.

"Take those off," Yasuhara said as he pulled something from his trouser pocket. "And lie down, on your front." He had indicated Eugene's underwear. "Don't worry, I'll take mine off too."

Ignoring his shaking arms, Eugene slipped his boxers off and turned to lie down. His head rested on his pillow. Yet somehow it did not comfort him.

He suddenly felt a weight shifting the bed. Yasuhara straddled his back and leant forwards. He took both of Eugene's hands and put them through the struts of the headboard.

"What are you doing?"

"It'll be fun," Yasuhara repeated. "I'll take it straight off if you don't like it."

Eugene saw the tie Yasuhara had been wearing earlier flapping in front of his face. Yasuhara tied Eugene's hands around one of the struts.

"Okay…" Eugene mumbled, biting his lip.

He felt Yasuhara kiss his neck again. It sent shivers down his spine - or was that from the cold?

"Get on your knees," Yasuhara purred as he moved back. Eugene complied. The bed shifted around him as Yasuhara repositioned himself.

Eugene felt something against his backside and jolted forwards.

"Just me, silly."

"Sorry, wasn't expecting it," Eugene replied with a shaky laugh.

Yasuhara reached around him and traced a finger down to Eugene's crotch. Then he began stroking Eugene while whispering in his ear.

"Remember, we're alone. You can be as loud as you like."

But Eugene did not want to be loud. He forced out a moan for Yasuhara's benefit.

"Don't want me to do something to you?" he asked, licking his lips.

"Oh no, I'm happy like this," Yasuhara said. "Just enjoy yourself."

But Eugene could not just enjoy himself. It was wrong. He wanted to move his hands. He hated his body for reacting to Yasuhara's touch. He hated himself for not saying something.

But saying something would make Yasuhara upset.

It was not so bad.

Yasuhara was trying to pleasure him.

He should be grateful.

But why was the sensation so empty?

He could feel Yasuhara pressing into his backside.

"Ready?"

"Huh?"

Then something forced itself somewhere it was not supposed to be.

Eugene cried out.

Tears sprang to his eyes at the sharp pain.

"Just relax. It's easier if you relax."

"Stop," Eugene begged. "Please…"

"Just let your body get used to it."

"No…"

"I read about this online! You'll like it in a minute, I promise."

Eugene tried to struggle against the bonds, but Yasuhara had tied them too tight. He tried to buck his legs out. But Yasuhara's weight held him down.

Anger boiled up at his own weakness.

Tears from the continued pain.

"Stop!"

It sounded like Eugene's voice. But it was not his.

Eugene looked around just in time to see Yasuhara wrenched from the bed by another figure.

"Get out!"

Eugene's body collapsed down onto the bed. He wept into his pillow as bangs and scrabbling invaded his ears.

Then there was a moment of silence.

"Gene? Gene, talk to me."

"I'm so sorry Noll…"

Oliver released Eugene's hands.

"Do you want to go to the police?"

"What?"

"The police," Oliver repeated. "Do you want to—"

"No!"

Panic flooded down Eugene's body as he shook. He curled up into a fetal position, wanting to be small.

"Let's get you showered then," Oliver's voice said. It took a moment for the words to sink in.

Eugene reached for something to cover his body with.

"Gene, we have the same body…" Oliver mumbled, but passed over a T-shirt anyway. He found Eugene's boxer and gave him those too.

Eugene put the clothes on and staggered to his feet. His body swayed and Oliver stepped forwards to catch him.

Eugene clung to Oliver, who returned the embrace.

"Don't tell Mum and Dad…" he whimpered. "Please don't tell them."

"I won't tell anyone anything if you don't want me to."

Oliver guided Eugene to the bathroom and helped him into the shower. He turned the water on.

Eugene sobbed as the water ran over him.

"I'm going to get you some fresh clothes. I'll be back in a minute."

Eugene heard Oliver leave. Slowly he pulled off the clothes. His hands found shower gel and cleaned his body on autopilot.

But it wasn't enough.

He washed himself again.

And again.

Until Oliver returned.

"Get out."

Oliver stood, towel at the ready and waited for Eugene to step out. He cocooned his twin in the bath sheet. Oliver had brought some of Eugene's older clothes. The ones he wore before ever meeting Yasuhara.

Eugene was internally grateful.

The towel felt rough on his body. The twins had always been thin, but now skin stretched over bones of Eugene's body. His ribs were prominent. His hips jutted. Not quite a skeleton and yet ever so reminiscent of one.

He slipped on the worn T-shirt and baggy sweatpants.

"You're still dressed like a Disney Prince," Eugene mumbled. "Are you my hero?"

It was a poor attempt at humour that came from nowhere. But Oliver did not see it as so.

"I'll change in a minute."

"Thank you Noll…"

Oliver evidently could not bring himself to respond. He guided Eugene back to his own bedroom and pulled the costume off.

Eugene settled onto Oliver's bed.

"How long has that been going on?"

Eugene knew the questions were going to start, but that did not mean he was mentally prepared for them.

"That's the first time he did that," Eugene replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

Oliver sounded as close to anger as Eugene had ever heard from him.

Tears welled up in Eugene's eyes once again.

Oliver sat down on the bed.

"I understand that you do not want to go to the police, but I am not letting that arse anywhere near you ever again, do you understand?"

Eugene nodded. He curled back up into a ball. Oliver sighed, then pulled his brother over, so that Eugene's head rested on his lap.

"I'm sorry Noll… I didn't listen... I knew you didn't like him but…"

Oliver placed a hand on Eugene's shoulder.

"... I liked that he liked me… Shit… What am I going to tell Mum and Dad?"

Eugene tried to sit up, but Oliver's hand remained firm.

"That you broke up. Simple. And we'll tell the same to the girls."

"He'll still be at school…"

"Then we'll move Maths sets," Oliver said with a forced calm.

Eugene noted Oliver's use of 'we'. It made him feel less alone.

"Noll?"

"Yes?"

"I… I haven't been eating properly," Eugene admitted.

"I know."

Eugene had known Oliver had been aware, but it did not stop more tears from spilling onto his face.

"Noll, I've messed up so bad…"

"We'll fix it, together," Oliver insisted. "It will be okay."

Eugene cried until no more tears would come out. He expected Oliver to get up at any moment, but his twin stayed.

"What happened with Mai?"

"What? Oh. That... "

Eugene twisted around so he could see Oliver's face.

"I told her how I felt about her, and how I felt about sex," Oliver said finally. "She did not take it well."

"Huh?"

"I believe she misinterpreted my words," Oliver went on. "As that I did not find _her_ sexually attractive, rather than I just don't feel sexual attraction."

"Oh…"

Eugene sat up and pulled his brother in for a hug.

"I'm fine, Gene."

"No, you're not," Eugene objected. "Stop pretending just because of… What happened."

Oliver's lips twitched.

"I expected a rejection in some format."

"You can still be upset by it."

"I'm fine," Oliver repeated. But he did not released Eugene from the embrace.

"We're a right mess," Eugene mumbled.

Oliver took a deep breath and pulled back. He wiped a stray tear from Eugene's cheek.

"I'll go and find the blow up bed," he said.

"Huh? Why?"

"Do you want to sleep in your room?"

"Oh, I see. Thanks, Noll."

"We'll be okay," Oliver said as he left the room.

And Eugene wondered which of them Oliver was trying to convince.

* * *

 **Author's note: I put off writing this chapter for a week when I got to it. I wrote _that scene_ and felt so disgusted with myself... This is the end of Part One!**

 **Normally I would say 'please review' but... I'm not sure I want reviews... *cries in corner***


	14. Part 2: Chapter 14

Mai darted through the crowd and up the stairs. She ducked into the guest room she had been sleeping in for the last week and shut the door behind her. Racing to her window, she peered through the darkness and spotted Oliver walking down the street, away from the party.

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them away.

"I've been so stupid…"

Sinking onto the end of her bed, Mai stared out of the window.

She watched Eugene and Yasuhara sprinting into the darkness.

She watched as parents arrived and took their children away.

She watched until there was no one left.

"Mai? Mai, are you up here?"

"Yeah," she called back.

"Noll up there with you?" Masako asked as she burst into Mai's dark room.

"No, he left."

"What? Why?"

"We… I don't know... "

"Argued?" Masako provided.

"Not exactly but…" Mai sighed. "Why did you want to know?"

"The twins left their clothes here, the ones they wore before they changed," Masako said, holding up a plastic carrier bag.

"Idiots," Mai mumbled. Masako dropped the bag, turned the light on and climbed onto the bed beside Mai. She opened her arms and Mai leaned into the hug.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I just… I don't know how I should feel," Mai said, her voice quiet. "Oliver… He said that he liked me."

"That's good right?"

"Yeah, but…" Mai frowned. "He then said then he didn't feel sexually attracted to me."

"What?"

"That he just doesn't feel those things."

"I think I read about that on Tumblr," Masako mused. "Ace? I think it's called?"

"But I reacted stupidly," Mai went on. "I just got all confused and… Now he's going to hate me!"

"He's not going to hate you."

"I just thought he meant he didn't find me attractive like that," Mai wailed. "Which was so confusing after being told he liked me!"

Masako pulled Mai closer and began stroking her hair as she cried. She made shushing sounds in an attempt to soothe her friend.

"I want to be wanted like that," Mai whimpered. "I'm so used to everyone thinking that I'm cute or sweet because I'm so tiny and… I just wanted someone to find me sexy…"

"I understand," Masako said.

Mai cried into Masako's shoulder for a while.

"I've really screwed up, haven't I?"

"No, of course not. If Noll really likes you—"

"Even if I apologise, he has no reason to want to put up with me now!"

"There is no 'putting up with you' Mai," Masako scolded. She pouted momentarily. "I'll text Gene about their clothes then."

"He left with Yasuhara, you might be interrupting something," Mai mumbled.

"Hence why I said text," Masako said with a laugh. She pulled her phone from her bra and tapped away. Then she threw her phone onto the bed and turned back to Mai. "Those guys are so cute, I swear."

"I know," Mai replied. "At least someone's happy…"

"Oh Mai, you will be happy. You two had a hiccough. Now stop moping."

Mai wiped her eyes and tried to smile.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, don't be sorry. We'll sort it out," Masako said with a definite nod.

A jingle caused both girls to turn their heads to look at Masako's phone. She snatched it up and unlocked it.

"'This is Oliver, please bring our things on Monday. Eugene and Yasuhara have broken up.'"

"From Gene's phone?" Mai asked, shocked.

"Yeah," Masako replied. "They broke up?"

"But they were so close earlier?" Mai questioned. "They left looking happy enough."

"What happened then…?" Masako pursed her lips, before replying to the text. "I'll ask."

"Maybe they argued too? Bad night for romance all round."

Both girls sighed in unison.

Masako's phone jingle sounded.

"Read it out?" Mai requested.

"'They had a disagreement,' he says."

"Is that it?"

"'Gene and I will not be sitting with Yasuhara at lunch any more. If you wish to sit with him, we will sit elsewhere,' he adds," Masako read out. "Wow. So it was bad…"

"What did they argue about though?" Mai asked. "Like, they seemed so into each other…"

Masako frowned.

"No idea. But we need to clear up a bit before bed. Do you want to stay—"

"I'll help."

"Thanks."

The two girls jumped up and headed downstairs. Masako's parents were already tidying away the food.

Mai and Masako began taking down the decorations.

"We need the boys back," Masako muttered. "Do you reckon if we ask them in the morning, that they'll come and help us with the high up and heavy stuff? Dad isn't allowed to lift things because of his back…"

"I'm sure if we asked, they would… Promises of tea and leftovers are sure to go down well!"

"Mai, if you don't want Noll to—"

"It's okay," Mai said quickly. "I have to face him eventually anyway."

"You don't," Masako pointed out. "I mean, if they aren't sitting with Yasuhara, and we do… Then they'll avoid us."

"I don't want to avoid him. I need to apologise and set the record straight."

Masako smiled like a proud mother.

"You're so grown up."

"Oh shut up."

* * *

It was past midnight when Masako's parents deemed the house clean enough for them to rest. Mai climbed into bed, exhausted physically and emotionally.

"Mai?"

Masako's head stuck through the door.

"Yes?"

"Can I sleep in here?"

"Of course?"

Mai shuffled over as Masako climbed into the three-quarters bed. Bigger than a single but not quite as big as a double, it fit both girls just fine.

"I just thought that as it's your last day here with us that it'd be more fun," Masako whispered, so as not to wake her parents. "Do you know what you're doing for Christmas yet?"

"No, though those discussions start soon."

"I'd offer for you to stay here, but my parents have been discussing going to see their friends in France."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Dad's best friend from uni or something," Masako mumbled. "Apparently they have a son a few years older than us. I just hope he's cute!"

Mai giggled.

"Oh Masako, what am I going to do with you?"

"He would have the most adorable French accent," Masako went on in her best attempt at a French accent. "And we could have adorable French babies!"

Mai clutched at her sides.

"You sound more Spanish than French," she snorted.

"I wouldn't say no to a hunky Spaniard," Masako said. "Adorable Spanish babies works for me too."

"I will stick to my cats," Mai said. "Spinsterhood here I come!"

"Oh Mai, you will not end up a spinster."

"The only guy who has ever shown interest in me ever has freely admitted to not wanting to have sex with me. It's not exactly—"

"You really are misunderstanding this," Masako said, tutting. "Just because he doesn't feel sexual attraction, doesn't mean he doesn't love you or doesn't find you pretty. Like how you can look at a girl and think she is attractive without wanting to have sex with her."

"Do you think he thinks I'm pretty?"

"I'm still surprised that robot admitted to liking you," Masako muttered.

"He's not a robot!"

"He is—"

"Socially awkward," Mai defended.

"Moving on," Masako said, rolling her eyes. "He has held your hand before right? And I am still convinced that chocolate you keep finding is from him—"

"No way, why on earth would Oliver buy me chocolate and then hide it in my bag? That's ridiculous."

"He'd buy you chocolate because he likes you, duh."

"Then why not just give it to me? Like to my face?"

"Because it's Noll. He's 'socially awkward' as you put it," Masako teased.

"I still think you're wrong."

"I still think that regardless of his feelings towards sex, you two could have a great relationship," Masako countered.

Mai fell silent for a few minutes.

"Do you really think that?"

"Well in the short term, it's not like you could get it on anyway. Though I'm sure Luella would be thrilled if you provided her with grandchildren so soon."

"Eww no!"

"Really?" Masako sounded disbelieving.

"Maybe one day, but not now," Mai replied. "Besides—"

"Ace does not mean sex repulsed Mai," Masako interrupted. "It's like… Football in P.E."

"How is sex like football?"

"So you have no interest in football, right?"

"Right," Mai agreed with a nod.

"But in P.E. if we ended up having to play it, we'd still have fun, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"There you go, that is what sex is like to an ace person," Masako said. "Well, not all of them. Some people are sex repulsed but—"

"You know a lot about this," Mai commented.

"Tumblr."

"Of course." Mai laughed bitterly. "It's nice to know it's not just Oliver being an oddball."

"Oh Noll is an oddball. But not because of that."

"What do I say to him now though? 'Sorry I'm an idiot'? He already thinks I'm stupid."

"Mai, you're being dramatic." Masako rolled her eyes. "You just say that you're sorry and that you still like him and want to talk about it."

"And say what? 'Hi Oliver, this is super awkward because I really want to kiss you but you don't want to kiss me back?'"

"Mai, do you listen to me at all?"

"Yes."

"So what did I just say like two minutes ago?"

"Sorry."

Mai deflated.

"It's okay."

Masako pulled Mai in for a quick hug.

"Maybe we should sleep," Masako suggested. "Let your brain settle it in your mind."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "Thanks Masako."

"No problem."

* * *

Mai woke early the next morning, despite having been up late the previous night. She reached over Masako for her phone and checked for texts.

Nothing.

Steeling herself, she began to type.

 **Mai: Hey Oliver, I'm really sorry about yesterday. Masako mentioned asking you and Gene to come and help with taking the decorations down in return for food and cups of tea. If you're willing, maybe we could chat?**

She sent the text and waited. Not that she expected a quick reply.

"Mai," Masako whined. "Go back to sleep." She drew out the last word like a small child.

"I didn't even do anything!" Mai protested.

"I can hear you worrying from here. He'll text back when he wakes up."

"I asked about the twins coming and helping the the rest of the decorations."

"Great. Now sleep."

Masako flopped her arm over Mai's face.

"See, it's dark," she mumbled into her pillow. "Be sleepy."

Mai giggled.

"Because that's exactly how it works."

Masako wriggled over, pulled Mai's head down and threw the covers over them both.

"Much dark," Mai commented dryly.

"I don't want to get up," Masako groaned. "Waking up means school tomorrow and doing the rest of that English essay. Like I liked those poems but seriously I don't care about comparisons."

"Yeah poetry would be a lot better if we didn't have to study it," Mai said. "Like, why can't we just enjoy it?"

"Exactly!" Masako cried, as enthusiastically as she could manage for this time of the morning. "School ruins all the best things. Sometimes I even hate Drama."

"Really? It's the only one I don't feel like crying in."

"You really feel like crying in lessons?"

"Sometimes," Mai admitted. "I mean I loved Maths… But now it's just all about exams."

"Yeah, exams suck."

Masako pulled the duvet back down to reveal their heads.

"Makes me reconsider going to uni, you know?"

"Well I don't want to go to a normal uni so…"

"Yeah but do you get my point?"

"Yes, I do," Masako admitted. "Come on, let's get up."

"Really?"Mai whined.

"Well I was thinking of doing some yoga before breakfast," Masako said.

"We can do yoga in bed," Mai protested. "Look!"

She turned over, curled her legs under her body and stuck her arms out infront of her.

"Child's pose," she declared. "Your turn!"

Masako laughed and manoeuvred herself onto all fours.

"Cat pose."

Mai pushed herself upwards.

"Downward dog!"

"Cobra!"

"Locust!"

"Bow!"

The door burst open.

"What are you two doing?" Masako's mother asked.

Both Mai and Masako collapsed in a heap of giggles.

"Nothing!"

"I'm going to make some porridge, so I expect you both down in ten minutes, alright?"

"Thanks Mum!"

She left and both girls burst into laughter again.

"You're my best friend, you know that right?" Masako said quietly, once the laughter died down.

"Course I do," Mai replied. "What's got you so soppy all of a sudden?"

"I just keep thinking how the twins will be going off to uni soon and then we'll be gone and—"

"Masako, we aren't going for like three years!"

"I know, but—"

"Now who is being daft," Mai teased. "You'll always be my bestie. Now we better get up before your mother skins us alive!"

Masako smiled before wrenching the covers off the bed.

"No!" Mai whined. "It's so cold! Give them back!"

"Nope, get up!"

"I hate you."

"I hate you too."

* * *

The two girls trudged down the stairs ten minutes later, half dressed and still yawning. Mai's phone buzzed in her pocket as she ladled herself some porridge.

 **Oliver: We are willing to help. I presume Masako informed you of the status of Eugene and Yasuhara's terminated relationship?**

 **Mai: Yeah, she told me. Is he okay?**

 **Oliver: It would be best not to mention anything about it while we are around.**

 **Mai: Would you like to talk? About us, I mean?**

 **Oliver: We'll see. Eugene and I can be at Masako's by 10AM.**

 **Mai: See you then :)**

"The muscle turns up at ten," Mai told Masako, passing her her phone so she could read the conversation.

"You can hardly call those two muscle," Masako said. "They both look like sticks."

"Attractive sticks," Mai defended.

"Stick-sexual now, are we?"

"Oh shut up."

* * *

 **Author's note: Thank you all so much for your responses to the last chapter! I was expecting a lot of hate and you all dealt with it very maturely! For that I am eternally grateful. So this is Part Two, which is from Mai's POV!**

 **Please review!**


	15. Part 2: Chapter 15

Sure enough, the twins turned up at ten on the dot.

"Where are we needed?" Oliver asked, his face characteristically blank. Mai looked from him to Eugene, who was smiling. Yet the smile looked off. She supposed anyone would look off if they had just broken up with their boyfriend.

"Mainly packing those heavy things away that we got out yesterday," Masako said in a cheery voice.

"Wonderful."

The four of them set to work, finishing packing up the decorations. Mai and Masako helped with the heavy lifting as the twins seemed to be struggling alone.

Once done, Masako brought some of the leftover party food into the living room and they sat and ate in silence. All of them thinking about the subjects that no one would bring up.

"So," Masako began, awkwardly. "School tomorrow. Done all your homework?"

"Yeah," Eugene replied. He had been nibbling on the same mini sausage roll for five minutes, staring pensively into the fireplace.

"Of course," Noll said.

And so they fell into silence again.

"Masako was telling me how she might be going to France for Christmas, do you guys have plans yet?" Mai asked a few minutes later.

"No, Luella and Martin have not discussed it yet."

Another silence.

Mai almost began strumming her fingers on her leg, but figured it to be rude.

"I'll wash up," she offered. "Oliver, would you assist me?"

She looked at him, hoping he would get the hint. She thought he had for a moment, then he looked to Eugene. Mai too glanced Eugene's way, only to see him give a tiny shake of his head.

"Sorry, I want to finish my tea first."

He indicated his almost empty cup.

Mai frowned, not understanding.

"Okay," she said and gathered up the plates.

Once in the kitchen, she set about washing the plates and squashing any feelings of resentment towards Oliver. He needed to be there for Eugene, that much was obvious.

Yet she could not help but be slightly upset.

"Wow those two are being so insular right now," Masako complained from the doorway. "Noll really needs to learn to take a hint."

"He's just being there for Gene, the guy is obviously upset. Oliver is just trying to be a good brother."

"And a terrible friend at the same time." Masako walked to the counter next to Mai and leant on the work surface.

"He's prioritising."

Masako sighed loudly.

"We're going to be off now."

Both girls turned to see the twins in the doorway.

"Oh, so soon?"

"Yeah, Luella and Martin will be back soon," Oliver stated. "They'll expect us to be at home. Thank you for the food."

"No problem," Masako said. "Thank you for your help. Let me show you out."

"It's fine, we know the way."

And they left.

"That was weird right?" Masako asked Mai. "Tell me you thought that was weird."

"That was weird," Mai confirmed with a frown. She finished washing up and dried her hands. "I should get packing."

"Yeah, I guess so. Do you want a lift to the boarding house?"

"Nah, I think I'll walk. I've only got my suitcase and rucksack. I'll be okay."

"Sure?"

"I think the fresh air might do me good."

Masako nodded in understanding.

* * *

The walk home did not help Mai at all. She merely ended up sweaty and frustrated at her suitcase. One of the wheels had jammed halfway back to the boarding house and refused to roll.

When she arrived, she signed in and headed to dump her stuff in her room before taking a shower.

The shower helped a little.

Mai wrenched the lid of her ancient laptop open and waited for the damn thing to boot up.

When it managed to load her home screen, Mai opened up a browser and checked her emails. Nothing too important, a lot of notifications from fanfiction websites.

Spotting that one of her favourite stories had updated, Mai settled onto her bed and waited for the page to appear.

She had started reading Pride and Prejudice fanfiction to help her understand the characters better for her English lessons. Yet, the deeper she had fallen into the pit that was fanfiction, the harder it was for her to get out.

Now she was reading it for fun.

To be fair, Pride and Prejudice had to be the best thing they had done in English so far.

And if she squinted, just a little, she could pretend that she was Elizabeth and that Oliver was Darcy. It was ridiculous. She knew it was ridiculous.

But it did kind of fit.

This particular fic was full of fluffy goodness. Set sometime after Pride and Prejudice, but before the events of Death Comes to Pemberley. Though only half of the fandom accepted the latter book as canon. Mai had read it and enjoyed it, so was willing to accept it if the fic in question required it.

Mai soon lost herself to the fantasy world of Darcy playing with his and Elizabeth's first child. It filled her with joy.

She was so enveloped by the story that she missed her phone vibrating. It was not until she had finished the new chapter, left a lengthy review that consisted mostly of 'aww this is so cute' comments and had closed the tab with a sigh that she realised she had a text.

 **Yasuhara: I suppose they told you?**

Mai furrowed her brows, but replied.

 **Mai: They told me you and Gene broke up? Are you okay? What happened?**

 **Mai: Gene looked like a mess this morning…**

 **Yasuhara: Is that what they told you? That we broke up?**

 **Mai: Yes, why?**

 **Yasuhara: No matter.**

 **Mai: What's going on?**

 **Yasuhara: Do you hate me then?**

 **Mai: No? Should I?**

But Yasuhara did not respond. Mai contemplated going to the common room to look for him, but suspected that he would probably be holed up in his bedroom, somewhere she could not find him.

She did not bother texting him again.

Mai began filtering through her other emails, trying to decide what to read next, when her phone buzzed again.

 **Masako: Did you get back okay?**

Mai felt guilt rising in her stomach.

 **Mai: Yes! Sorry I forgot to text!**

 **Masako: It's okay!**

 **Masako: I think I have a theory about why they broke up.**

 **Masako: Maybe two theories.**

Mai groaned. Masako's theories were likely to be wild and inaccurate and only fuel trouble.

 **Mai: Go on.**

The longer she waited for a reply, the more apprehensive she became.

 **Masako: Right, theory number one. Yasuhara found out that me and Gene went out ages ago and doubted Gene's gay-ness and confronted him and dramatic showdown ended in a massive argument and a break up and that's why Gene was super awkward this morning around me!**

Mai almost burst out laughing.

 **Mai: Doubted his gayness? Really? He could be bi you know!**

 **Masako: Yeah but lots of people (gay and straight) seem to ignore bisexuality as a thing.**

 **Mai: You need to spend less time on Tumblr.**

 **Masako: It's a real issue! Anyway!**

 **Masako: Second theory! Have you noticed that Gene changed his clothing and stuff since Yasuhara turned up? What if Yasuhara made him do it and Gene finally snapped and was like 'I don't wanna dress like this anymore' and broke up with him. Hence him being weird earlier because he was self conscious about it!**

 **Mai: Really? You think Yasuhara would do that?**

 **Masako: You have to admit that he did change his clothing when Yasuhara turned up!**

 **Mai: Yeah, but Gene might have chosen to change to try and impress him. People do that.**

 **Masako: Yeah like you and your adorable little mini skirts :P**

 **Mai: Oh shut up. I still think it's a little daft.**

Mai shook her head and plugged her phone into her charger. But Masako's theories had got her thinking.

Mai's laptop slipped off onto her bed as she pondered the idea. Eugene had been looking a little different lately. She had thought he had looked a little thinner but had initially put it down to him growing taller. Yet he had been the same height as Oliver earlier and he had still appeared thin. Unless Oliver had put on weight?

Mai thought that hard to believe. Oliver sustained himself on tea and books, hardly a weight-gaining diet.

 **Mai: Do you think Gene has got skinnier?**

 **Masako: Dunno, maybe?**

 **Masako: Eugh, what am I supposed to do with this photo?**

 **Masako sent a picture message.**

Mai gasped as the image she had taken of Yasuhara and Eugene downloaded line by line onto her screen.

Eugene was beaming at the camera. His face did look slightly gaunt, but the spooky mood lighting didn't exactly help his case.

Yasuhara, however, was smiling at Eugene. It was a genuine smile. No one would doubt that he cared deeply for Eugene if they had seen that photo.

But they had broken up…?

Which meant it had to be Eugene's doing.

 **Mai: Maybe don't put it on FB? That could be awkward.**

 **Masako: Yeah I guess that. Do you want this one of you and Noll put up?**

 **Masako sent a picture message.**

Mai barely wanted to look as her own picture appeared. She had been so proud of their costumes, having spent all week working on them. Masako was a dab hand at sewing, having helped so much with her theatre group's costumes.

Oliver had his arm around Mai's shoulders, emphasising their height difference. He had even smiled properly, just for her.

 **Mai: Better not...**

A guilty feeling of disgust rose in her stomach.

She needed to sort things out with Oliver. Even if they stayed friends, she needed to know everything was okay between them.

Mai searched her contacts for his name and hit dial.

She put her phone to her ear and listened as the dialing tone rang.

"Yes?" Oliver's voice said.

"Hi, it's Mai."

"I know, caller ID exists."

"Yeah, of course. Um, I wanted to talk about last night and sort things out if you—"

"Sorry Mai, our parents have just arrived home and I need to assist with their luggage. Bye."

He hung up before she could even respond.

A hollow feeling filled Mai's chest. A shiver ran down her arms, making her feel cold despite the boiling radiator. She steeled herself.

 **Mai: How about later?**

But Oliver did not reply. Trying to suppress tears, Mai began searching through her emails for something to read again.

But for angst.

* * *

Mai did not see Yasuhara at dinner that night. Not that she had really expected him to be there.

But she had kind of hoped that he might be.

If he was as heartbroken as she was, they could wallow together.

Masako had managed to get last minute tickets to the theatre, so she had been whisked away by her parents and was no longer able to text Mai.

Which left Mai alone. Sure she had other friends in the boarding house, but they were not quite the same.

So she resorted to texting Eugene. Maybe he would like a distraction.

 **Mai: Hey, hope you're holding up okay! Um, I was just wondering if Oliver mentioned our conversation last night? Is he really upset? I want to talk to him about it but he keeps blowing me off and I don't want to upset him further by banging on about it if he doesn't want me too but he's not replying so can you give me any insight?**

It was only after she sent the text that she realised how pathetic it sounded. Thankfully, Eugene was kind in his reply.

 **Eugene: Sorry, it's my fault! I've been keeping him from his problems with my own. I'll ask him to call you later but you know Noll. He likes to run away from his own emotions!**

 **Mai: Thanks. How are you doing? If you ever want to talk just shout okay?**

 **Eugene: I'm fine and thanks :)**

Mai sighed.

Everyone else seemed busy with their own lives. So once again, she pulled her laptop towards her and thought about her own fanfiction, wondering if she could channel these emotions into a nice angsty one-shot.

Yet plot inspiration evaded her.

Which in turn led to her stalking writing blogs for ideas. This then got sidetracked by cat videos.

"I want a cat," Mai moaned as she scrolled through the recommendations for her next video.

Oliver never called.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I am up to look at flats and places to live for my new job today! Wish me luck and please review!**


	16. Part 2: Chapter 16

Monday lunchtime turned out to be the most awkward affair Mai had found herself in for a long time.

She and Masako had arrived first, like usual. They had collected their lunch and began lamenting the extortionate amount of homework they had been given thus far.

Oliver and Eugene turned up a few minutes later. Yasuhara was conspicuous only by his absence. The twins greeted them, but soon returned to their discussion about some aspect of Maths that Mai neither knew nor cared about.

Then Mai spotted Yasuhara. She watched him collect his own food and start towards them. Eugene noticed Mai's concentration and glanced around. He spun back to stare determinedly at Oliver.

Eugene grew tense in his seat.

Yasuhara stopped about five metres away as if slapped in the face. He frowned, then walked away in the other direction.

Mai lost him in the crowd.

She frowned.

Eugene took a while to relax again. Though Mai thought that Oliver's attentions helped him.

If only Oliver would give her two minutes of his time.

Though last night's lack of a phone call seemed pretty self explanatory.

But Mai could not give up so easily. Eugene had been right in his text, Oliver did like to avoid his emotions. If he was not willing to speak with her, perhaps a written format would be better.

A love letter sounded a little cheesy in Mai's head, but a love email somehow sounded a lot worse.

* * *

Her final lesson of the day was History. However, instead of it being the usual hour long torture, their teacher released them all fifteen minutes early to go to the library and collect resources for their homework.

Half of the students ignored this last part, but Mai packed up her bag and walked to the library. She pursued the history section for books on the Cold War, but could not help but think her teacher was ignorant of the size of their library.

Most of the history books in the school library covered one of three topics; the Victorians, the Tudor period, or the World Wars. Seemingly the only historical events that mattered enough to have books written about them.

Mai sighed, lamenting the fact that they did not get taught the cool parts of history in school. Sure, the Cold War was relatively recent and prevalent to today's politics, but it was not quite the same thing as people being sacrificed and thrown down alters or having their brains pulled out of their nose.

Plus everything they had been taught so far was so western-centric. They had never covered anything about Africa or the Far East, which would be so much more—

Mai's internal rant was interrupted by someone walking straight into her.

"Oh I'm so sorry!"

"John?"

"Mai!"

John, a fellow boarder, stood in front of her, looking abashed at his own foolishness.

"I'm really sorry," he went on in his strong Australian accent. "I didn't mean to bump into you like that!"

"It's fine, I should have looked where I was going!"

"Why aren't you in lessons?" John asked, frowning.

"Let out early to pick up resources for a history essay," Mai explained. "Though this is proving useless, I might try the public library."

"I feel your pain," John said, smiling. "You playing this evening?"

He was referring to the weekly table tennis games. John was not a consistently good player, but every few weeks he would give Mai a run for her money.

"Yeah I think I will," Mai said.

"Awesome, I'll see you later then!"

Mai watched John go, happy that he had reminded her of the table tennis mini-tournament. She gave the shelves one last scan, but nothing drew her eye, so she started towards her dorm.

Had this been one of her fanfictions, she would have bumped into Oliver on the way to dorms and they would have some kind of dramatic encounter. Preferably one where they kissed and made up.

But Mai had no such luck.

She made it back to her room without seeing anyone.

Pulling out her planner, she checked her homework situation. She had Maths homework and English homework for the following day. The Maths she had completed during the holidays, but the English homework consisted of annotating a poem before class so she had left it until now on purpose, not because she had been procrastinating.

She definitely had not been procrastinating.

Mai grabbed her book of poems and flicked it open. She switched her laptop on and let it boot while she began reading.

"Porphyria's Lover," Mai mumbled to herself. "I hope she had better luck than I did."

As she scanned the poem, she marked the rhyme structure and other literary devices that they had been taught about in class.

"Well that ended well…"

The death of Porphyria in the poem did not exactly fill Mai with confidence with regards to her plan to email Oliver. But as her laptop had finally had the decency to load, it would be rude not to write it now.

Then she could go and play table tennis with nothing to worry about. Sort of.

Taking a deep breath, Mai began to type.

 **Dear Oliver,**

She cringed at her own formality.

 **I have been trying to talk to you about Saturday but we have not had the opportunity. So I want to apologise for my reaction. I misunderstood what you meant and hurt you in the process. So I'm sorry.**

Now she was writing it, Mai realised she was not exactly sure what else she wanted to say. Frowning, she continued.

 **I guess what happens next is up to you. At the very least I still want to be friends, but I understand if you want some distance.**

 **Mai**

She hated it. It sounded awkward and cheesy and wrong.

She hit send anyway.

Standing up, she began to strip down so she could change into casual clothes. There was no way she was going to play table tennis in her school uniform. She pulled on some trackies and a T-shirt.

"Hmm, my hair's getting a bit long."

It was almost long enough to put in a ponytail.

Sighing, Mai grabbed her trainers and a hoodie. The common room was not always that warm.

She found John playing against the wall when she arrived.

"You can practice all you like, I'm still going to beat you," Mai teased.

"As if," John retorted. "I was just warming up."

He passed her the other bat and let her pick which end of the table she wanted.

John did not stand a chance. Mai's frustration only aided her speed and accuracy. She returned every ball that came her way so hard that she managed to break two of them.

"Are you alright Mai?"

"Fine, why?"

"You seem a little… Angry?" John asked delicately.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, I was just wondering if I can help."

"Oh John, you are too nice!" Mai exclaimed. She grabbed John and hugged him. He laughed awkwardly, but returned the embrace. "But that doesn't mean I beat you any less."

"Mai, stop avoiding the question. Can I help?"

Mai took a deep breath and released John.

"I'm dealing with it, but I appreciate your offer."

"Well I'm always here and willing to listen, okay?"

"Thanks, John. But I am currently beating you five games to nil. Do you want to try and redeem yourself?"

"You're on!"

* * *

Mai left the dorms early to wait by the school gates to meet Masako. However, Masako was not the first of her friends to greet her.

"Mai."

"Oliver."

"Gene, can I meet you in a few minutes?" Oliver asked.

"Sure."

Gene's mouth smiled, but none of it extended to his eyes.

"I'll only be a few minutes," Oliver pressed.

"Yeah, I'll see you by the lockers."

Mai watched Eugene walk away. The further he got, the faster her heart beat.

"So…" she prompted.

"I received your email."

"Good."

"I need to know what you want from a relationship with me."

"As in more than friends type relationship?"

"Yes."

Mai avoided looking up, knowing that he would be gazing down at her with piercing blue eyes.

"Um. That you'd talk to me? And we could hold hands? And hang out together and… Stuff," she finished lamely.

"Is that all?"

"Huh?"

"You don't want to do anything else? Anything sexual?"

Oliver's voice was terse.

"Well maybe one day… If you were comfortable with it… I'd like to kiss you maybe," she mumbled. The more she spoke, the more insecure she felt.

Perhaps this had been a mistake.

"I should just leave," Mai said. "I'm sorry."

"Mai, wait."

Mai remained glued to the spot.

"I cannot give you those things in a relationship right now. Considering recent events, I don't feel comfortable—"

"What do you mean recent events?" Mai interrupted. "Are you saying because Yasuhara and Gene broke up, you won't give us a chance?"

"It is more complicated than that."

Anger boiled up in Mai's chest.

"How?"

"I need to be there for Gene."

"He's not a baby!" Mai said, fuming. "You're just—"

"Mai. I need to go to my locker before registration," Noll muttered. "I'm sorry."

He walked away.

Mai scowled after him. She could practically feel the steam coming from her ears.

"Hey, Mai!" Masako had walked up to her and waved in her face. "Are you there?"

"Fancy helping me with a few bodies?" Mai growled.

"What's Noll done now?"

"He's an idiot. What do I see in him? Like seriously?"

She stomped towards the school, Masako following behind.

* * *

"Mai Taniyama, might I have a word?"

Mai looked up in the middle of their English lesson to see the Matron at the door. She glanced to her English teacher, who nodded her approval, and ducked out of the lesson.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Of course not," the Matron replied. "No, I wanted to talk to you about Osamu Yasuhara, you are friends with him, right?"

"Kind of, yeah."

"Well, I am rather concerned about him. He hasn't been at meals and refuses to speak to me because I put him in detention before half term." The Matron tutted. Though Mai sensed she was truly perturbed by someone under her care having problems. "Could you speak with him?"

"If he came to the common room, I would."

"Well I have ordered him to come to my office this evening straight after school, if you're free, perhaps you could come too and speak then?"

"Okay," Mai agreed.

"He's missed a few classes too, do you know anything about that?"

Mai thought for a moment.

"Were they Maths lessons?"

"How did you know?" the Matron asked.

"He broke up with someone recently, they're in that class…" Mai said, trying to keep it vague.

"I see. Well we'll discuss this more later then. Get back to class, thank you," the Matron said.

"Okay, thanks."

Mai re-entered the classroom and slunk back into her seat. It had not occurred to her just how affected Yasuhara had been by the break up. She had been so involved in her own petty issues she had neglected her friend.

Now things were settled between her and Noll, and by settled she meant that nothing was ever going to happen, she could focus on other more important things.

Like school work.

And helping Yasuhara.

Somehow these things did not quite fill the pit of despair in her chest. She could not entirely comprehend why Oliver was being so stupid about the whole thing. And in doing so, even their friendship seemed rocky now.

Could she still ask him for Physics homework help?

Sure there were other people she _could_ ask, but Oliver was actually a really good teacher when he wanted to be.

"... and here are your Pride and Prejudice essays, I am very pleased with the effort you put in on the whole."

Mai looked up as her English teacher returned her essay. She glanced down the red marks on the text and finally at her mark: 25/27. The best mark she had ever received.

Well at least something had gone right today.

* * *

 **Author's note: I promise things get happier(-ish) soon... Kinda... In other news, I am moving house this week and starting my new job next Monday! Please review :)**


	17. Part 2: Chapter 17

Mai headed straight for the Matron's office after school. She did not expect Yasuhara to be there already, but he was. Sat in a chair with his arms folded across his chest, he was barely even acknowledging the Matron's existence.

"Mai, wonderful, okay, I'll let you two talk," the Matron said.

She stood up and left the office.

Mai took a seat.

"So she dragged you here to talk to me, huh?"

"Yeah, she said you missed Maths. It's because of Gene, right?"

Yasuhara looked away.

"Do you wanna talk about why you broke up?"

"You know we were never actually going out," Yasuhara snapped. "I never asked him out. He never asked me out."

Mai gave him a pitying look.

"You two were something," she countered. "What happened? I swear you two were fine and then you suddenly broke up."

"We wanted different things."

"Right…" Mai was ninety nine percent certain that this was a lie. "So why are you skipping class?"

"That bastard brother of his will likely try and kill me."

"Oliver isn't a violent person. He'd prefer to make you fall in love with him and then break your heart by being a jerk and not giving you a chance. But that's a topic for another day."

"He did that?" Yasuhara spat.

"He said that because of 'recent happenings' or something that he wasn't willing to give us a chance." Mai scowled. "He shouldn't give up on us just because you two broke up, or whatever happened between you two."

"Me and Gene were making out and that arsehole walks in and threw me out. Gene didn't answer any of my calls and then suddenly we've supposedly 'broken up'. Like, he never liked me from the start."

"What the hell? Why would he do that? If you two were…"

"Exactly."

"Why would he even walk in on you? Like that's a bit pervy," Mai said with a grimace.

Yasuhara rolled his eyes.

"Now Gene won't even speak to me. His _brother_ is controlling him right now I swear."

Mai frowned, trying to process this new information.

"But why?"

"Because his own love life sucks so much. He's just jealous."

"But…"

"I don't know what he thinks about you," Yasuhara went on. "That dickhead could have had you and instead he decides to make me and Eugene miserable."

"So… He didn't want me? At all? He was just pretending…?"

"Guess so."

Mai's lip trembled.

"Why didn't he just say that then?"

"Because he's an arse," Yasuhara said. "It's a power thing. Stringing you along for fun."

Mai could not bring herself to speak. They sat in silence for a while.

"I should ask to move to a new Maths class."

"Can you do that?"

"Probably."

"And you'll come for meals again?"

"Yeah."

"Good. You know, we could play table tennis later?"

"I heard you broke a few balls yesterday?" Yasuhara asked, the ghost of smile appearing on his face.

"Yeah, I was… A little frustrated."

"With Oliver?"

"How did you guess?"

Mai laughed bitterly.

"How did you hear about that anyway?"

"I ran into John in the bathroom earlier," Yasuhara said. "He knew we were friends. He's worried about you too."

"Oh John, bless him. He's so cute but he worries too much."

"He's a nice guy, he's in my History class."

"Is he?"

"Yeah. How do you know him?"

"He started boarding here the same year as me, so we were both kind of awkward newbies together."

"Cute."

"So how is it all going in here?"

The Matron was back.

"Fine."

Yasuhara's almost smile vanished.

"Yeah we've sorted some things out. We're going to play table tennis later," Mai said. Forcing her own tears back and a fake smile forwards.

"Wonderful, then get out of my office," the Matron said.

Mai and Yasuhara hastened to do so.

"You wanna play now?" Mai asked. "I mean she'll come and check on us no doubt, so we if are seen doing something happy she'll leave us alone for a bit."

"Sounds like a great idea. But I want to change out of my school uniform first," Yasuhara said as they walked back towards the dorm.

"Same. Meet you in the common room in ten minutes?"

"Sure."

* * *

Table tennis made both teens feel better. They sank to the floor an hour later, panting, laughing and reaching for water bottles.

"I'm glad we did this," Yasuhara managed.

"Me too," Mai agreed. She beamed at Yasuhara, then her face dropped. "I don't want to go and do my homework."

"So don't."

"I've got to."

Mai sighed. Yasuhara rolled his eyes.

"You should do yours too, you know," Mai mumbled. "It'll keep the teachers off your back."

"As if."

"It will, they don't want trouble." Mai sighed again. "Do you want to do this again tomorrow?"

"Maybe."

Mai scrambled to her feet and helped Yasuhara up.

They departed for their different dorms.

As Mai began on her French homework on the pluperfect tense, which consisted of filling in a table of all the different forms for several verbs, then her phone buzzed.

 **Masako: Are you free not this weekend but next weekend?**

Mai furrowed her brows as she tried to work out what this could possibly be about.

 **Mai: I think so? Why?**

 **Masako: I have a performance that night if you want to come and see it. I was gonna ask everyone but considering what's been going on maybe it'll be better if it's just us...**

 **Mai: Sounds great! What are you doing?**

 **Masako: The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery!**

 **Mai: *nods and agrees***

 **Masako: It's a comedy! Honestly, it's funny!**

 **Mai: I could do with that right now!**

Mai penciled the date into her planner to remind herself to ask for permission to go. She was sure it wouldn't be a problem. She returned to her homework.

Once all of her urgent work was out of the way, Mai wanted to write. It felt like she had not written in ages. She had not been able to write at Masako's house due to Masako's presence.

It was not like Masako meant to be inhibit Mai's ability, but somehow having someone else in the room made it a lot harder.

But now she was alone, she could find no excuse as to why the words were not flowing like usual.

Then it hit her like a wet flannel to the face.

Oliver read her fanfiction.

No wonder she felt self-conscious about it. Growling, Mai opened up her fanfiction profile and glanced at all of her recent reviews. She spotted a few from guest reviewers, but none of them sounded like Oliver.

Would Oliver even review though?

She had a suspicion that he would. Mai glanced at the signed reviews, doubting that Oliver would have made an account.

"Grammar… He would use proper grammar…"

She scanned the remaining reviews and mentally striked out any that used emojis, slang or tumblr-style writing. This left her with a couple of comments.

 **BookSmart19: A pleasant read.**

 **GenericFanficReader123: Well written.**

 **EvidenceHunter99: Please update soon.**

None of these screamed to her as being Oliver. She opened up their profiles to look for further clues. One of the profiles had a generic picture of the characters Mai wrote about, all three had a basic vague description but nothing concrete. Besides, many people embellished their profiles or straight up lied.

She glanced down the profiles' lists of favourited stories and authors.

EvidenceHunter99 had not favourited anything, but had written a single oneshot. Curious, Mai opened it and glanced down the first few paragraphs.

"Ouch. Use the enter key…"

She ruled that profile out.

But the other two profiles… No written work. Which Oliver presumably would not have? A number of favourite authors, including herself, but Oliver could have randomly favourited a few to throw her off?

Mai shook her head. She was thinking too much about this.

She needed to write.

A smirk slid onto Mai's face. Smut. Smut was the answer.

Perhaps, she thought, Oliver would not have read her smuttier pieces. She began scanning the reviews on one of her more… Adult pieces.

Both BookSmart19 and GenericFanficReader123 had reviewed on them.

"Damn."

But as Masako had said, being asexual did not mean that he was sex repulsed.

How had he even found her work in the first place? She did not have her real name on her profile. Only Masako had known about her writing. Masako had also sworn to secrecy.

Baffled, Mai sat back in her chair and pondered the problem.

When she could not find a satisfactory answer, she resorted to the one thing that she knew would make her feel better.

Kitten videos.

* * *

The following lunchtime, Oliver and Eugene did not sit with Masako and Mai. There had been no explanation, they just never turned up.

Both girls noticed it, but neither brought the subject up.

Due to the twin's absence, Yasuhara tentatively sat down at their table.

"I can leave if this is awkward," he said.

"No, it's fine," Mai insisted.

Masako made no noises of complaint.

"I quit Maths."

Mai's mouth fell open.

"What?"

"I asked to move sets and my timetable wouldn't allow it," he explained. "So I quit."

"And they just let you?"

"Head of Sixth Form didn't like it, but they couldn't really stop me. Though they want me to do something useful in its place."

"Surely it's too late to start another course?"

"It is, so she suggested tutoring," Yasuhara said. "I think the Matron has been having words about me or something. Because she was going on about me being antisocial."

"Are you gonna do it?" Mai asked.

Yasuhara shrugged.

"Maybe."

"I think you should," Masako said. "It'll look great on your university application."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "And it's like revision that helps other people."

Yasuhara smiled a little.

"Suppose," he agreed. "I'll think about it."

"Are we playing table tennis tonight?" Mai asked a few minutes later.

"Can do," Yasuhara replied. "Better than sitting in my room doing nothing."

"Five o'clock?"

"Sure."

Once he had finished eating, Yasuhara got up.

"I need to finish some homework, but I'll catch you later, yeah?"

"Of course, later!"

Mai watched him go before turning back to her own meal.

"He looks a bit off too, huh…"

"You think?" Mai asked.

"Yeah."

"Well at least he's doing his homework."

"He wasn't before?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you about the thing with Matron, did I?"

Masako shook her head, so Mai filled her in.

"Oh, this breakup was really bad, huh…"

"Apparently so."

* * *

On Saturday, Mai signed out from the Boarding House and began the walk to the local public library. She arrived, found a table and dumped her bag down to claim it before wandering through the shelves to the history section.

The public library's section was twice the size of the school library and had two books on her topic.

Thankful, Mai pulled them down and returned to her table. She pulled out her History workbook and her pencil case. But they were not the only things that had fallen out of her bag.

A single bag of Magic Stars flopped onto the desk.

Mai frowned, trying to think when she had last looked in her school bag. Yesterday, fifth period? She had done no homework the previous night because it had been a Friday.

No one did homework on Friday.

They had not been there at lunch, because she had emptied her bag in search of her locker key that had fallen to the bottom of her bag.

But she had not thoroughly checked it during fifth, she had had no need to.

 **Mai: Just found more chocolate in my bag. Proof that it is not Oliver sending them because he is ignoring/pissed at me right now.**

 **Masako: No he isn't.**

 **Mai: He literally said that we couldn't have a relationship because of Yasuhara and Gene breaking up. Like that is the most stupid excuse ever. If that was not him trying to blow me off I don't know what is. You don't say that to a girl and then put chocolates in her bag!**

 **Masako: I'm not convinced. If you come up with a reason for their appearance, I will consider it. But until then, I am convinced Oliver is leaving them.**

 **Mai: Okay. I will pretend for two seconds that it is him. Why would he do that? Considering EVERYTHING I just mentioned?**

Masako took a few minutes to respond.

 **Masako: Because he really cares about you and feels shitty about blowing you off but he can't handle his brother's emotions and yours at the same time and so he's having to prioritise Gene. But because deep down he can't shake the fact that he loves you to bits (fight me) so he hides chocolate in your bag because he knows you like it and it'll make you happy.**

Mai fumed at how plausible Masako's response was. How dare she come up with something so sensible?!

 **Mai: You're ridiculous.**

 **Masako: You're right, I am. It was obviously the tooth fairy hoping for your teeth to fall out.**

Mai laughed in spite of herself.

 **Mai: I'm at the public library if you want to join me for History fun times?**

 **Masako: Wish I could, got rehearsals all weekend!**

 **Mai: Break a leg!**

She began her homework and tried her best to ignore the bag of chocolate. Eating in the library was forbidden.

Yet her fingers opened the packet and stole a single Magic Star. She popped it into her mouth and silently wished that it was from Oliver. She wanted to believe that he still cared. But Yasuhara's words were starting to get to her.

Oliver had not so much as glanced her way since they last spoke.

Maybe he was upset too?

It was a farfetched hope. But Mai clung to it like a lifeline. She continued to sneak lone Magic Stars until she had completed her History homework.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I am starting my new job today so wish me luck!**

 **Please review :)**


	18. Part 2: Chapter 18

The Magic Stars that were not devoured during the History homework session at the library made it back to the boarding house. They were not eaten during the Bonfire Night's celebrations at the school either. In fact, they survived until Sunday's fanfiction writing session.

In fact, they were the inspiration.

Mai managed to sit down and write for three hours, a personal record, without a single distraction. She wrote a modern Pride and Prejudice AU oneshot, focusing on Elizabeth and Darcy.

A oneshot where Darcy sneaked chocolate into Elizabeth's possession as a poor way of flirting.

After one final read through, Mai posted it and sat back smugly. She hoped Oliver would see it and read it and realise that Elizabeth's opinions on the matter directly corresponded to her own.

Those opinions being that it would be a hundred times better for him to just give them to her face.

She stared at her email inbox, waiting for a review to arrive when she heard a knock at her window.

But no. That could not be right. She was two floors up.

Frowning, she looked around and had to stifle a scream. Yasuhara's grinning face was framed by her window.

Mai rushed to the window and opened it to pull him in.

"What on earth are you doing?" she hissed.

"Came to see you," Yasuhara replied.

"You could have just texted! I would have met you in the common room! You can't be in here!"

"But they're all watching a film in the common room, and it's boring."

"Keep your voice down! You can't just climb in here! How did you even do that?!" Mai stared out of the window and blanched at the distance to the floor.

"I used to go climbing when I lived in London," Yasuhara said with a shrug.

"Yeah with ropes and stuff!"

Yasuhara shrugged again.

"Either way, you have to get out. You can't be seen here. If you are, I lose my scholarship and then I have to move away. And I don't want to move away."

Yasuhara's face dropped.

"Oh."

"Look, climb out and meet me in the dining hall, we're allowed there."

But Yasuhara's face did not pick back up.

"What's wrong?"

"I just… Felt lonely I guess."

Mai almost growled from frustration.

"And I am happy to hang out with you. Just not here!" Mai whined. "I promise. I will go straight to the dining hall and we can hang out until dinner!"

"Only until dinner?"

"Well afterwards too if you want."

Yasuhara pulled a sour pouting face but nodded. He returned to the window and climbed out. Mai watched him until he was safely on the ground again. Then she shut her window and ran her hands through her hair.

What had Yasuhara been thinking?!

At least she had chosen to put trackies on that morning, as often Mai would sit around in a t-shirt and knickers. That would have been mortifying!

Shaking her head, Mai pulled on some socks and slippers. Then she realised that she had yet to put a bra on. Sure, it was not as if she _needed_ to put a bra on for supports sake, but the cold meant her nipples were prominent under her t-shirt.

Yasuhara must have noticed that.

Gay or not, he must have noticed that.

Mai fell onto her bed and screamed into her pillow. Once she had collected herself, she grabbed a bra and a large hoodie.

After dressing, she grabbed her phone and ran down to the dining room, where Yasuhara was waiting for her.

He smirked at the sight of the hoodie, causing Mai to flush red.

"You barged into my room," she muttered darkly. "I could have been wearing a lot less!"

"Oh I prefer to have a little left to the imagination," Yasuhara teased.

Mai punched him on the arm.

"You wound me," he gasped, clutching his arm and staggering back.

"Hang on, let me call Masako. I think one of her troupe's drama queens has escaped."

Yasuhara laughed.

"Did you go to the fireworks last night?" he asked as Mai took a seat.

"Yeah, stood with John and a few of his mates."

"Do you not have any friends in your own year? Apart from Masako?" Yasuhara questioned.

"Well, kind of? Like I have friends who I can sit with in class and stuff. But none of it extends beyond that. I mean I'm friends with the other girls in my year who board. If they needed help I would do it, but it's not like we hang out, you know?"

"Yeah, But does that not bother you?"

Mai shrugged.

"Not really? Masako is my best friend so it's okay."

Yasuhara smiled.

"That's cute," he mumbled. He flopped forward onto the table, resting his chin on his folded arms. "I miss Gene."

"Yeah, me too."

"Huh?"

"The twins haven't sat with us since Wednesday," Mai told him. "I don't see them otherwise and it's weird. Like, it was always the four of us and…"

"Do you miss Oliver?"

"Yeah... " Mai admitted. "I just don't understand it. The twins have always been there for each other, but never like this. It's like Oliver has been replaced by some sort of overprotective lioness or something."

"I don't understand, what do you see in him? He's only ever been weird around me," Yasuhara said.

Mai pondered the question.

"It's hard to pin down," Mai began. "I know that he's awkward and everything, but he's always been kind and I don't know… He made me want to be a better person, I guess. That doesn't even make sense."

"Not really, no."

Mai sighed.

"Well he's made it quite clear nothing is going to happen."

"Yeah…"

"What do you want to happen between you and Gene?" Mai asked. "Like, if Oliver wasn't being an arse."

"I just want to talk to him. I mean if there has been some misunderstanding I want to apologise for it. But I don't know what I did wrong…"

They fell into an awkward silence.

"Well this is a downer."

"Yeah," Yasuhara agreed.

Another silence.

"Do you want some toast?" Mai asked.

"Sure."

They both jumped up and headed to the toaster in one corner of the dining hall. The boarders were allowed to have as much toast as they liked at any time. Mai pulled out two slices of bread from the cupboard and shoved them in.

"Jam? Chocolate spread?"

"Chocolate spread," Yasuhara said.

They argued about how well done to do the toast and then loaded each silence with far more chocolate spread than should be allowed. The spread melted and dripped down onto their fingers as they ate.

"My Father called me," Yasuhara revealed. "He was told about me dropping Maths."

"And?"

"He's not happy. Did the whole 'dishonour on you, dishonour on your cow' speech…"

Mai chuckled at the quote.

"But it's not like you can do anything else, is it?"

"No, but he doesn't see it like that. He thinks I'm slacking."

Mai rolled her eyes.

"Ignore him," she insisted before licking some chocolate spread off her fingers.

"I'm trying."

"Oh there you are Mai!" a new voice exclaimed.

Both teens looked around to see John entering the dining hall.

"John!"

"Hey, Yasuhara," John greeted. "We're putting on a film in the common room if you want to join us, I'm just making the popcorn."

His arms were full of microwave popcorn packets.

"What are you watching?"

"Mulan."

Mai and Yasuhara made eye contact and burst out laughing.

"Sure," Mai said. "Here, we'll help."

Between the three of them, they made all the popcorn up and carried it back to the common room. They passed the bowls out so that every couple of people had one.

"Ready?" someone called.

A raucous cheer went up as they hit play.

* * *

Oliver and Eugene broke their avoidance of Mai and Masako the following day.

Well, Oliver did.

Mai had been heading to the boarding house after her final lesson of the day when Oliver intercepted her path.

"Mai, I need to have a word with you."

"Oliver!"

Mai was taken aback. He was the last person she expected to see, let alone request to speak with her!

"I'm glad you remember my name," he said, smirking.

Mai scowled.

"Of course I remember your name," she grumbled.

"Mai, I need to ask a favour from you," Oliver said, his tone suddenly serious.

"Go on?" Mai said, frowning.

"I know you've been spending time with Yasuhara and I request that you stop."

Mai's frown deepened.

"What?"

"He is not the sort of person you want to be hanging out with Mai, for your own well being, please stop."

Mai's mouth fell open.

"Not the sort of person…? He's been a damn sight better friend than you have been of late!"

"Mai, listen—"

"No! You listen! First you blow me off because you've got to baby Gene, and now you're trying to warn me off one of the few people who has actually been there for me lately!" Mai's hands balled into fists. "I need friends Oliver! Not all of us are happy sitting in batcaves all alone!"

"Mai! He is not a friend to you!"

"How would you know?! You hated him from the beginning!"

"He predated on my brother," Oliver said, his voice low with anger.

"Predated?! He's not an animal! You're just jealous! Jealous and worried that Gene wouldn't need you any more!" Mai barely refrained from screaming. "And now you've screwed up their happiness so you get your brother back! You're pathetic!"

"I'm pathetic? Says the idiot that makes her mind up without knowing the full circumstances!"

"And are you going to tell me what heinous thing Yasuhara did? Or is that a top secret fact that only the special Davis Twins can know? Well? Are you going to tell me?"

She glared up at Oliver, heart pounding and face flushing with anger.

But Oliver, instead of shouting back, deflated.

"I tried."

He turned and walked away.

"Oliver! What are you—"

"You don't want to listen to me, so I am going home. I have better things to do."

"'No point in lecturing a pig,'" Mai quoted.

"Exactly," he called over his shoulder.

Mai could not contain her anger. She ran through the departing students towards the dorm.

But she did not manage to get two steps inside of the boarding when she ran straight into—

"John! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, hey, are you alright?"

For Mai had just stepped back in horror.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"Me?" John looked confused.

"You told Oliver I was hanging out with Yasuhara, didn't you?" she accused.

"Well, he—"

"That arsehole! I can't believe him! How could he do that?!"

She pushed past John.

When in her room, she slammed the door shut and let loose the scream she had been holding in.

How dare he?!

She picked up her phone from beside her bed and phoned Masako.

"Hey—"

"Masako! You will not believe what just happened!"

"Mai, I'm on my way to rehearsals, so give me the brief version."

"Oh I can make this very brief! Oliver is a jerk and I hate him. He had John spying on me and just now he _requested_ that I stay away from Yasuhara! Because he's 'not the kind of person I want to hang around with'!"

"Really?" Masako sounded incredulous.

"Yes! And he did it in front of everyone! Now the whole school is going to be—"

"Oh screw them," Masako interjected.

"Ugh! I am just so fed up of this entire thing!"

"Mai, I'm sorry, but I just arrived. I'll text you, yeah?"

"Okay, sorry."

"It's fine," Masako insisted. "Text me exactly what he said."

So Mai did. She texted every word of the conversation as fully as she could remember it.

Masako was quick to defend John, who everyone knew was too nice to do anything malicious. Mai tended to agree with this statement, though she was still a little ruffled that John did not think her capable of looking after herself.

But Masako could find no excuse for Oliver's behaviour.

 **Mai: Yasuhara thinks it's a power thing.**

 **Masako: That's a bit much, isn't it?**

 **Mai: I don't know, but he went from being influential in Gene's life and then suddenly Yasuhara took his place. Now Yasuhara is being friendly to me, and he's warning me off him!**

 **Masako: You reckon he's jealous?**

 **Mai: It would fit.**

Yet there was an unsettled feeling in Mai's stomach. Jealousy was unlike Oliver. He had never been bothered by such things before, at least, not to her knowledge.

So what had changed?

She had no clue.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well this chapter was the first chapter I wrote as part of NaNoWriMo (if I remember rightly, this chapter and the next two were written in the first day... I went overboard oops!) Please review!**


	19. Part 2: Chapter 19

John begged for forgiveness come dinner.

"Oliver just asked me to keep an eye on you! He texted me yesterday asking if you were okay and I said that you had seemed fine and were hanging out with Yasuhara. I was trying to let him know you weren't alone or anything," John pleaded. "I didn't mean to cause an argument!"

"John, it's fine. I understand," Mai hastened to say. "It's what he did with that, you were just trying to look out for me. Which I appreciate."

She hugged him briefly to show she held no hard feelings before grabbing some food. Mai sat alone, still texting Masako. They had moved onto a new and much more agreeable topic.

 **Masako: So I was on YouTube last night and I found this web series and I started watching it and OMG you will love it!**

 **Mai: What is it?**

 **Masako: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries - modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I mean it's American and stuff, but Kitty is an actual cat!**

 **Mai: That sounds cute!**

 **Masako: Yeah! It's like a video diary and I like Charlotte in this version so much better!**

Mai returned to her room, neglected her homework and searched for the web series on YouTube. She found it easily and set the playlist going as she snuggled down in bed.

This was exactly what she needed; silly young adult romance that she knew would actually turn out happy.

She binged the entire thing.

* * *

The twins did not reappear at lunchtimes for the entire week. So Yasuhara took to joining Mai and Masako to eat.

But Masako did not extend the invites to any of the boys, presumably to avoid drama.

Mai left the boarding house at four, to make it to Masako's house by four thirty. From there, they walked to the town hall, where the performance was being held.

Masako was immediately greeted by a plethora of small children when they arrived.

"Massy! Massy look at my make up!"

"Massy?" Mai questioned with a smirk, but Masako merely shushed her.

"Everyone, this is my friend Mai, she's coming to watch this evening. So you have all got to promise to do your best, okay?"

"Promise!" the children chorused, before sprinting back off.

"Masako! Can you help with these chairs?"an adult shouted.

"Sure. Mind helping?" Masako turned to Mai.

"Nah, I thought I would just sit down and watch you suffer," Mai teased.

Masako rolled her eyes. The two girls began setting out the chairs in front of the stage. After that, they were roped into helping repair a collapsed set. Then doing other people's make up.

Many adults thanked Mai for helping, despite being there to watch the show, and promised her free drinks and cake in the interval.

An offer that Mai readily accepted.

The real advantage of being so early was that Mai had her pick of seats. She claimed a chair in the front row with her coat and bag before helping an elderly woman on the door collecting tickets.

Eventually the play started. Masako was, in Mai's humble opinion, the best actress in the play. Most of the other actors and actresses were obviously there to just have fun, with none of them having Masako's desire of one day performing in the West End.

But everything went tits up in the interval. Mai had just been helping herself to a large piece of chocolate cake when her phone began to vibrate.

 **Oliver is calling you! Accept or reject?**

"What the hell…"

Mai scrambled through the crowd to find a quiet place to take the call.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"Mai! Are you in dorms? Are you with Yasuhara?"

"What? No?"

"This is important! Can you find Yasuhara, right now?"

Mai had never heard Oliver sound like this. He sounded almost panicky. It unnerved her.

"I'm at Masako's play. I'm not even at the boarding house. Have you tried John?"

"No, I'll do that now."

He hung up.

Mai, now curious, rang Yasuhara's mobile, but got no response. Frowning, she texted Oliver, letting him know she had tried.

But a minute later, he phoned again.

"Mai, how close are you to the park?"

"Five minute walk? Maybe ten?"

"Can you go there, right now?"

"What is this about?" Mai asked.

"Gene is not in his room and I know you think I am being ridiculous but I don't care. I need to know he is safe and no where near that scum bag. Mai, you can hate me for the rest of your life for all I care, I just need to know that Gene is safe."

"Oliver, I'm in the middle of Masako's performance!"

"I would not ask you if this was not important, but you are closer than I am and I can't let those two be alone together. Do you trust me?"

Mai opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated.

"Mai?"

"Yes, I trust you."

Internally she scowled at the very idea, but it would be a lie to say otherwise.

"Then I beg you, please! I will be there as soon as I can."

"You owe me."

Mai hung up.

 **Mai: Something is going on and I have to leave, I'm sorry, I'll explain later.**

She sent the message to Masako, then scooped up her coat and bag and sprinted out the door. She ran as hard as she could all the way to the park, which was further than she remembered it being. Or was she just not as fit as she had thought?

Gasping for breath, Mai staggered into the park and looked around for any sight of Eugene and Yasuhara.

They were not hard to spot in the slightest. Both young men were stood in the middle of the park, a little way off from the swings.

She made her way towards them, Yasuhara spotted her first and called over.

"Mai? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at Masako's thing?"

"I… Ol... "

But Mai could barely catch her breath.

Before she managed to get a word out, Oliver appeared from the other side of the park.

"Gene!" he yelled, his voice slightly higher than usual. "Gene, what the hell are you doing?"

"Noll? What are you doing here? Why is Mai here?" Eugene sounded confused. He looked around the park as if expecting someone else to appear from the bushes.

"Why is _he_ here? I wanted to speak to you alone!"

"What's going on?" Mai panted.

Yasuhara turned to Mai.

"I asked Gene to meet me here so we could sort this whole debacle all out," Yasuhara pressed. His jaw was taut and brows furrowed.

"You asked him here despite the fact that he shouldn't be alone with you!" Oliver hissed. "Gene—"

"Noll, it's fine! I wanted to come!" Eugene insisted, his hands held up and a pleading look adorning his face. But it looked wrong. Eugene was thin, his body cowered. "I wanted to sort it out!"

"Sort what out? He ra—" Oliver spotted Mai and stopped speaking. "After what he did?"

"If Gene wants to speak to me," Yasuhara said, "Maybe you should just fuck off!"

Oliver's face went from pale concern to barely contained rage. Mai had never seen him look like that before, which worried her more than anything else. As angry as she was with Oliver, she had known him too long to not care when something was so obviously causing him to act out.

"Noll, it's fine," Eugene mumbled. "We were just going to talk, I didn't want to worry you!"

"Gene, let's go." Oliver's fists balled up.

"Yasuhara, maybe now isn't the best time," Mai said quietly. But everyone ignored her.

"Gene, don't you want to talk?" Yasuhara asked.

"I…"

Eugene's eyes flickered between Oliver and Yasuhara. Mai was shocked to recognise panic in his eyes.

"Gene, please, let's just go home."

"He doesn't want to go home," Yasuhara stated. "He wants to talk to me. Come on, Gene."

He reached out to grab Eugene's arm. But Oliver cut in the middle of the two.

"Don't you dare touch him," he growled.

"Or what?" Yasuhara said, squaring up to Oliver.

"Noll, please…" Eugene whined.

Oliver turned to face Eugene, ignoring Yasuhara.

"Please, can we just go—"

Oliver fell to the floor. Yasuhara's fist hang in the air after the right hook.

"Oliver!" Mai rushed forward. "What the hell are you doing?" she yelled at Yasuhara. Mai bent down to help him up, but Oliver was already back on his feet. "Oliver, no!"

But Oliver had already launched himself at Yasuhara, who apparently had not expected this development. Oliver landed a punch on the side of Yasuhara's face, narrowly avoiding his glasses.

Eugene had sunk to the floor, rocking back and forth. A low whine escaped his mouth.

Mai did not know what to do.

Yasuhara soon caught onto Oliver's intent and began a counterattack. Mai knew Oliver had no fighting experience. He had always been so against the idea.

Which meant Yasuhara most definitely had the upper hand.

"Stop!" she shrieked. But it had no effect. They were deaf to her words.

 _Thump_!

"Oliver! Yasuhara! No! Please!"

 _Thwack_!

Wincing, Mai pushed herself between the two squabbling boys. She forced them apart. Yasuhara fell to the floor. Oliver barely remained standing.

She could see blood.

"Stop!" she repeated.

Pointing to Yasuhara, she went on, "You stay there."

He made not attempt to move.

Turning to the twins, she fought to remain in control of her shaking body as Oliver checked his own injuries. A cut on his lip bled onto his chin. His left eye was beginning to swell.

"Are you okay?" she asked Eugene, softly.

He nodded. His breath was ragged. Mai was not the only one trying to get ahold of herself.

"Can you take Oliver home? Get him cleaned up?"

Eugene nodded again.

"I don't know what the hell you were thinking," she hissed at Oliver. "But fighting is not the answer."

Mai spun back around to face Yasuhara, who was inspecting his glasses.

"And you! You don't hit people with their backs turned! Get up, we're going back to the boarding house right now!"

"I want to talk to Gene," he muttered.

"Well maybe if you hadn't hit Oliver, we could have sorted it out so you could. But you're being an idiot right now."

Mai waited until Oliver and Eugene were some way off before helping Yasuhara to his feet.

"Are your glasses okay?"

"Bent," he spat.

"Can you fix them?"

"I have a spare pair."

"Come on then."

The walk back was long and slow. Yasuhara muttered under his breath a lot, which Mai ignored.

She was still reeling from everything that had happened.

Oliver had resorted to physical violence.

She just could not wrap her head around the idea. Oliver had always prefered to battle with words, something he excelled at. But now, he was obviously trying to keep some secret, so his best weapon was lost to him.

"Yasuhara?"

"Hmm?"

"Please, leave Gene alone for a bit. I don't think he can deal with whatever has gone on and keep you and Oliver in line. For Gene's sake, please?"

Yasuhara grunted.

When they arrived at the boarding house, Yasuhara slunk away to clean himself up. Mai returned to her own room and collapsed onto her bed. She found her phone and texted Eugene.

 **Mai: Is Oliver okay?**

 **Eugene: He'll live. Just a few cuts and bruises.**

 **Eugene: I'm sorry you got dragged into this. I hoped that if I sorted everything out with him that Noll would think of himself for two seconds and stop pushing you away.**

 **Mai: It's fine. Stop worrying about me or Oliver. He's big enough and ugly enough to look after himself.**

 **Eugene: Watch who you are calling ugly :P**

 **Mai: Were Martin and Luella cross?**

 **Eugene: We told them he tripped. Not sure they believe us, but they didn't question it.**

Mai bit her lip.

 **Eugene: Is he alright?**

 **Mai: Yasuhara? Well he left for the male dorms a few minutes ago. Seemed alright.**

 **Eugene: I'm sorry. I know it was stupid. I was just trying to help.**

 **Mai: Don't worry about it. They were both being stupid. It'll turn alright in the end!**

 **Eugene: I hope so…**

Mai had no clue how to respond to that, so she did not. She did, however, address Masako's text.

 **Masako: What happened? Are you alright?**

 **Mai: Everyone is fine, I think, I'll phone you in the morning and explain. I'm sorry for missing the last half of your play.**

Then, despite the fact that it was barely nine o'clock, Mai readied herself for bed. The last fortnight had been exhausting and she, for one, wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and wake up in a world where none of it had ever happened.

She knew that it would never happen. But the allure of a dream world where everything could be perfect was too tempting.

Mai climbed into bed and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before closing her eyes and drifting off into a deep sleep.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well, that was eventful! I'm not sure I can say "I hope you enjoyed it" because my poor babies got hurt but... Please review?**


	20. Part 2: Chapter 20

Masako insisted that a phone call was not good enough the next day. She demanded that Mai joined her at a nearby cafe, and even offered to buy Mai a drink, in order to hear the full story.

Mai felt rather guilty about the whole thing, but agreed.

"Here is your hot chocolate, now please, I want to know everything," Masako said as she sat down opposite Mai. She had not appeared angry in the slightest about Mai disappearing, something which had honestly confused Mai a little.

Mai relayed everything that had happened the previous night in as much detail as she could manage.

"Oliver actually hit him? Like his fist hit Yasuhara's face?" Masako was incredulous.

"Yeah, I was so shocked like I never would have ever imagined he would do that! What could possibly have made him—"

"Mai! Masako! How lovely to see you both!"

Both girls looked around to see Luella and a pink-haired woman.

"Mrs Davis!" Masako greeted. "Do you want to join us?"

"Oh we wouldn't want to impose! And how many times have I insisted you call me Luella?"

"You're not imposing," Mai insisted. "How is Oliver? I heard he tripped over?"

She sent a significant look in Masako's direction, who acknowledged it with a tiny nod. The two women joined their table.

"Oh he'll live," Luella said, tutting. "Now girls, this is my friend Madoka, she works with Martin. Madoka, this is Mai, hopefully my future daughter-in-law, and Masako, an aspiring and very talented actress!"

Mai blushed at Luella's words while Masako looked thrilled.

"It's lovely to meet you!" Madoka said, beaming. "You're Oliver's girlfriend, right?"

"Oh no," Mai insisted, her blush darkening. "No, we're just friends."

Luella rolled her eyes.

"Those two are worse than you and Lin," she said. "Dancing around each other when you could be making me grandbabies."

Mai almost choked on her hot chocolate. Masako was barely containing her own laughter.

"Oh Luella, you can't claim Lin's and my future babies as your grandchildren! My parents would object!"

"I have put enough work into your relationship to get something out of it!"

"How about godmother?" Madoka offered.

Mai envied her easy smile. How was this woman not abashed in anyway at Luella's statements? Then again, Madoka had the guts to dye her hair pink so…

"Who is Lin?" Masako asked.

"Oh he's this lovely young Chinese man who works with Martin as well," Luella said. "Very nice young man, a bit quiet, but Madoka is utterly smitten with him."

"If you met him, you'd understand," Madoka added. "Tall, dark, handsome, intelligent. What more could I want in a man?"

"Quiet? Good cook? Fluent in several languages?" Luella provided. "Oh wait, Lin is all of those things, isn't he?"

The two women laughed.

"Now Masako, how did your play go last night? It was last night wasn't it? Martin and I were going to attend but I forgot to buy tickets and then you had sold out!"

Masako groaned.

"You were right not to come!"

Mai frowned, but Masako went on to explain herself.

"The first half was perfect, the best we had ever performed. The second half, absolute disaster. Tracy forgot her lines and skipped a massive chunk of one of the scenes and it just never recovered. She missed out some really important bits and the audience was confused and…"

She sighed.

"It can't have been that bad!"

"Oh, it was. I swear, if I could find myself another acting troupe I would," Masako moaned. "I've been begging our Drama teacher to put on a school play but she downright refuses."

"It's a shame," Mai said. "We have so many talented people in our school! We could put on such a good show!"

"Well if you ever convince your teacher to do it, get my boys involved. I could do with a laugh!" Luella said, chuckling. "Imagine Noll and Gene singing on stage."

Madoka giggled at the idea.

"They would never do it."

"Gene might," Masako said. "He did Drama GCSE didn't he?"

"Yes, he did, dear," Luella said. "Noll, on the other hand, flatly refused to do any of the Arts subjects and so they let him do Statistics GCSE."

"He's so stubborn," Madoka commented.

"He is," Luella agreed. "But he's a good boy. Now talking of Noll, Mai, when are you next coming around?"

Mai really did choke on her hot chocolate this time.

She spluttered and patted her chest to clear her airways.

"Sorry. I, um, I have lots of homework at the moment so…"

"So much homework that you can come out to see plays and go to coffee shops but not see my son?"

"I don't think he wants me—"

"Nonsense," Luella declared. "I expect to see you in the new few weeks or else I shall organise it myself! Now Madoka, we should be heading off."

"Yes," Madoka agreed. "It was nice to meet you both."

"See you soon."

The two older women left.

Mai sank into her chair and groaned.

"Masako, what am I going to do?"

"Sit up and wave to them, quick," Masako hissed.

Mai complied, hitching a fake smile on her face as the two women walked past their window. Then she collapsed back into her chair once they were gone.

"What am I going to do?" Mai repeated. "Oliver isn't going to want me round!"

"Well you're going to have to make up with him or else Luella is just going to lock you two in a room."

"And did you hear what she was saying?"

"Yes Mai, I was here the entire time."

But Mai ignored her.

"'Future daughter-in-law'!" Mai exclaimed. "And the babies thing! I am fifteen! I can't even legally have sex! She can't be advocating that!"

"Mai, you are overreacting."

"You can't talk! You aren't being set up with someone that currently hates you!"

"Oliver doesn't hate you."

Mai sighed dramatically.

Masako rolled her eyes.

"And they call me a drama queen," she mumbled. "Come on, Mai, let's go shopping."

Masako dragged Mai from her chair and out of the coffee shop.

"Why are we shopping?" Mai asked.

"Christmas soon!"

Mai groaned.

"I don't want it to be Christmas!"

"Aww, I know what to get you and Oliver," Masako teased.

"What?" Mai asked, sending Masako a look that could have set ice on fire.

"Mistletoe, obviously. Then you'll have to kiss and makeup!"

Mai scowled and took a swipe at her friend, who ducked out of the way and danced through the aisles of the shop.

* * *

Mai did not regret joining Masako in her spur of the moment shopping spree. She had a lot of fun, even if it did mean that she now had limited time to work on her homework.

She checked her planner to see what was most urgent when she flicked over the page to see 'Physics Test' written in large red letters on Tuesday's square.

"Shit."

Mai had never really had an issue with science subjects until recently. She felt like her brain was saturated for science and no more information wanted to enter. None of it stuck.

And now she had two days to revise.

"Shit," she repeated.

Mai hurried through her Maths homework before starting on Electricity revision. She found a few online revision aids, but even with their help she did not feel like any of the information was going in.

She wanted to cry.

* * *

After the drama-fueled weekend, Mai thought that there was no way in hell that anything else would happen for at least a week.

She expected rumours when two of the lower sixth turned up looking like they had been bulldozed. And she had been right to think so. The side of Yasuhara's face was a nice green-yellow colour reminiscent of mould, accentuated by the thicker frame of his spare glasses. Meanwhile, Oliver's eye was purple and his lip was swollen around the cut.

Mai could barely bring herself to look at either of them. Yet she knew she had to talk to Oliver, if only to have him plead on both of their accounts to his mother.

She was banking on Oliver going to his locker during morning break.

She was not counting on other people being there too.

Mai entered the corridor where she knew his locker would be and quickly spotted Oliver, it was hard not to considering the whole purple face thing.

"Um, Oliver, could I have a word?"

He turned around, began to frown, then winced at the pain that caused his face.

"What do you want?"

"I bumped into your mother yesterday."

"I heard," Oliver said with a grimace.

"She told me she expected me to come around to your house and I tried to explain that I had a lot of work and—"

"Do you not want to come around?"

Mai's eyebrows twitched.

"I didn't think you would want me to…"

"I don't care either way."

Mai bit the inside of her mouth to avoid an argument.

"Look, if you could explain to her—"

"What the…"

Oliver was looking over Mai's head at someone behind her. Frowning, she spun around and spotted Yasuhara. Swearing under her breath, she began forward, wanting to diffuse this situation before it began.

"Where is Gene?" Yasuhara asked. "He should be here too."

"He's not here, Yasuhara, please, just leave," Mai begged.

"I have every right to be here," Yasuhara objected. "You can't stop me from walking down this corridor."

Mai took a deep breath.

"Yasuhara, no, please, just not now."

"What not now?" he asked, feigning ignorance. "I just want to speak to Gene."

"I don't care what you want," Oliver muttered darkly. "You aren't speaking to Gene."

"You can't stop me doing anything."

Oliver sidestepped Mai, grabbed the lapels of Yasuhara's blazer and pushed him into the lockers with a crash.

"Oliver!" Mai exclaimed, but he ignored her. She watched on, gobsmacked.

"I did stop you," Oliver growled. "And you'd do well to remember that 'no' means 'no'."

He let go of Yasuhara and walked away amid whisperings.

"Violent, isn't he?" Yasuhara said to Mai. "And you fancied him?"

His tone was full of disgust.

"I don't have time for this," Mai mumbled. She scrambled away and towards her next class, her mind full of Oliver's words.

What on earth had he meant?

Why was he reminding Yasuhara that 'no' meant 'no'...?

Horrible thoughts filled Mai's brain.

Yasuhara would never. Oliver was being ridiculous.

But Mai was distracted all through her next class.

* * *

Despite being a Monday, Mai avoided the common room that evening. She did not feel up for faking cheeriness to compete in the table tennis competition. Nor did she want to run into Yasuhara.

Besides, she had a Physics test to panic about!

And she was actually panicking about it.

Her hands were shaking and her mind refused to concentrate for longer than two seconds. She was going to fail and no amount of breathing exercises was going to change that fact.

"I can't do it."

The words echoed around her head. It clouded her reason.

"I can't do it."

Tears welled in her eyes.

"I can't do it."

She sank to the floor.

"I can't…"

The tears leaked down her face and splashed onto her carpet. She gasped for breath, her body robbed of oxygen.

 _Breathe_.

She had to breathe. She knew this. Breathing. In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four.

Mai counted until her body no longer shook.

But the idea of going back to revision loomed over her like a tsunami. She could not do it.

Shame filling her chest, Mai slammed her physics books shut and closed down the tabs of revision sites she had found.

She opened up the fanfiction website and began searching for something to read. Because if she could not deal with her problems, she sure knew how to escape them.

Escaping them was easy. Escaping them was safe. Escaping them was her forte.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I literally just had a "oh shit I didn't update yesterday" moment and then realised that today is Monday and that everything is fine so I feel stupid... Please review!**


	21. Part 2: Chapter 21

The Physics test was a disaster.

Through the entire thing, Mai was an empty shell. Her hand wrote, but her brain had disengaged.

She came out of the test with no memory of her answers. Masako chatted happily away about her own answers, oblivious to Mai's suffering.

Her day did not get any better.

Two days early, her period started sometime during the first two lessons, leaving her with stained underwear. Then none of the boys sat with the girls at lunch, something Mai had half expected. Finally, in the last lesson of the day, Mai was reprimanded twice for not paying attention.

She bid farewell to Masako at the end of the school day and traipsed back to her room.

Her stomach rumbled as she changed into comfier clothes. Mai fought the desire to flop onto her bed and do nothing. She pulled on slippers and trundled down to the dining hall.

But she was not the only person with this idea.

"Yasuhara?"

"Mai?"

"Making toast?"

"Yeah. Do you want some?"

"Please."

They plated the toast and slathered it in chocolate spread before taking a seat.

"Can I ask you a question?" Mai mumbled.

"You just did, but you can ask another."

Mai smiled in spite of herself.

"Smartarse." Her smile faltered. "What did Oliver mean yesterday? About the 'no' means 'no' thing? What was he talking about?"

"No idea," Yasuhara replied quickly.

"Look if he was implying what I think he was—"

"He's lying. I would never do that to someone, especially Gene. I would never hurt someone like that! Especially not like that!"

"Then why did he say that?" Mai asked.

Yasuhara stared at Mai with haunted eyes.

"He's trying to make you hate me," he said. "You don't honestly think I would do that, do you?"

"No, I don't," Mai admitted, but her frown remained etched onto her face. "But that is a serious thing of him to accuse you of. Is there any way he could have misunderstood the scenario?"

Yasuhara sat, pensive, as chocolate spread ran down his fingers.

"Yasuhara? Are you okay?"

"Sorry, yeah. I'm fine."

He shook his head and grinned.

"Wanna play table tennis?"

Mai was on cusp of refusing when a tiny nagging thought at the back of her head told her the endorphin rush would do her good.

"Yeah."

* * *

Wednesday went a little better than Tuesday and Thursday a little better than Wednesday.

So Mai hoped that Friday, as the last day before the weekend, would be even better. She was wrong.

The number 'forty-eight' stared back at her from the top of her returned test, written in large red letters.

Mai folded the test up and slid it into her folder.

"How'd you do?" Masako asked from beside her.

"Not great," Mai mumbled.

"Oh please, your idea of 'not great' is still going to be better than my score."

"How did you do?"

"Eighty, better than expected to be honest."

"That's great, well done Masako."

"... And those of you that got under seventy, there will be a re-test next Tuesday lunchtime. I expect you all here at the start of lunch."

Mai pulled her planner towards her to write it down.

"You did that bad?" Masako hissed.

Mai did not respond, so Masako took that as an affirmative.

"It's okay, everyone has bad days."

Mai managed to hold in her tears until lunchtime. Then she excused herself and hide under a set of barely used stairs. She knew few people came this way and thus, she would be unlucky to be disturbed.

She sunk to the floor and hugged her knees.

If this result got back to the board, she would be at risk of losing her scholarship. Losing that meant no more boarding, which in turn meant she would likely have to move schools.

Mai wiped her nose on her sleeve as her lip trembled. Sniffing, she tried to collect herself.

"Here."

Mai jumped a foot in the air at the sound of the voice.

"Oliver! What are you doing here?"

Mai scrambled to her feet, hoping that her face was not too blotchy. Oliver was extending a hand holding a tissue to her.

"Have it," he said, shaking the tissue.

Mai took it and blew her nose.

"Thanks."

"Masako mentioned you did badly in your Physics test."

"She shouldn't have told you."

Oliver rolled his eyes, pulled his mobile from his pocket and unlocked it before passing it to Mai so she could read.

 **Masako: If you bump into Mai, be nice, her physics test result wasn't as good as she wanted and she could do without added stress from you.**

"Oh."

"She sends me a lot of those sorts of texts," Oliver mused as he took his phone back. "She seems to think I like antagonising you."

"And you don't?"

"No, Mai, I don't."

Mai did not trust herself to speak, so she waited for Oliver to go on. When he did not speak, she glanced around for a topic.

"You should be at lunch."

"So should you."

Mai scowled, Oliver had a point.

"Where's Gene?"

"Library."

"Look, if you have nothing to say, I'd rather—"

"Do you want me to tutor you?" Oliver interjected.

"What?"

"You have to do a retest right? My mother is expecting you to come round, we could kill two birds with one stone."

"Oliver, I—"

"If you don't want to, it is fine by me. I have other things I can be doing."

"I shouldn't," Mai mumbled. "It's been so awkward lately and this whole thing with Yasuhara and… I just don't know what to think." Then words spilled from her mouth. "They break up and you push me away and then I try to help Yasuhara out and you tell me to stay away from him and then you have John spy on me! Then you fought Yasuhara. Like I just can't get my head around that. I don't know what I'm supposed to think about any of you any more."

"That is… Understandable."

"I just miss when it was all simple," Mai said as tears escaped her eyes. "I can't deal with it all."

"I asked John to keep an eye out for you. I knew you were having a tough time and he is a good friend to you."

"I know that."

"But it is not my place to say anymore. I'm sorry," Oliver stated. "If you change your mind about tutoring, let me know."

Mai watched him walk away.

She had not honestly expected anything by the way of comfort from Oliver, but Mai understood. It just was not how Oliver operated.

But that did not stop her wanting a hug.

Mai returned to the floor, reaching for her bag to search for any spare food. Having no desire to face the masses in the school canteen, Mai hoped that she might have something to eat.

She did not.

Mai was not sure how long she sat there, staring at a spider under the stairs making a new web. She was not exactly watching it, but her brain vaguely registered its presence.

"Mai?"

For the second time that lunchtime, Mai jumped.

"Oliver? What? Why are you here?"

Oliver rolled his eyes and held his hand out to help Mai up. She took it, still frowning.

"Gene has reprimanded me for leaving you here crying," he said stiffly. Mai giggled at the thought.

"Sounds like Gene," she mumbled.

"But as you are no longer crying, I hardly think there is an issue."

"What was his advice?"

"To hug you until you stopped crying," Oliver recounted.

"I can start crying again if you want," Mai offered with a weak smile.

Oliver rolled his eyes again and held a singular arm out, allowing Mai to lean into him. He wrapped his arm around Mai's shoulders.

She soaked in his warmth and inhaled his scent, he smelt like new books and tea.

Mai listened to his heartbeat for as long as she thought that she could without wearing Oliver's patience thin. Once she figured she had pushed her luck as far as was fair, Mai pulled away.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"No problem."

Oliver reached into his bag and pulled out a sandwich and a banana.

"Here, you should eat."

He pushed the food into her arms before walking away.

Mai, one again, watched him walk away before reading the label on the sandwich packet: hummus and falafel.

It was not her first choice of sandwich, but Mai ate it anyway. It tasted better than she thought it would.

* * *

When Mai entered her room she snatched up her phone and texted Eugene.

 **Mai: Thank you for sending Oliver back at lunch, I needed that hug.**

But Eugene's response was not entirely what she had expected.

 **Eugene: I don't know what you are talking about? Oliver saw you at lunch?**

 **Mai: Are you joking?**

 **Eugene: No, sorry.**

 **Mai: Never mind then, sorry for bothering you!**

Mai's mind reeled with the implications.

"Oliver had pretended," she concluded. "He pretended Gene had told him. What an idiot."

 **Eugene: It's fine, what happened?**

Smirking, Mai began to type it out.

 **Mai: I was upset at lunch and Oliver found me and was awkward and left and then came back saying that YOU had told him to hug me because I was crying and then he hugged me and gave me food.**

 **Eugene: What an idiot xD.**

 **Mai: So if you want to embarrass him, go ahead.**

 **Eugene: You read my mind!**

Mai squealed into her pillow before jumping up and changing into trackies and a t-shirt. She stormed down to the common room and declared an impromptu table tennis tournament.

Which she won an hour later.

* * *

Due to several rematches and the allure of fluffy fanfiction, Mai did not get to sleep until three in the morning.

This resulted in her not waking until ten. Mai groaned when she saw the time on her phone and only the fact that breakfast stopped being served at ten thirty forced her from the warmth of her bed.

Yawning as she consumed bacon and eggs, Mai was barely aware of anyone around her. The idea of returning to bed after breakfast sounded wonderful.

"Mai! There you are, what are you doing? Mrs Davis is waiting for you in the reception!"

Only half the words registered in Mai's brain.

"What?"

She looked around to see the Matron walking towards her.

"Mrs Davis is waiting for you in reception," she repeated. "You are going around to hers today, she is under the impression her son is tutoring you in Physics?"

"Right, I overslept. I need to get dressed and…"

"I'll tell her you'll be down in ten minutes then," the Matron said, slightly amused.

Mai blinked and let these words settle in.

"Thanks!" she said, scrambling to her feet and sprinting to her room.

Her hair was greasy. She needed to shower. She had ten minutes.

Odd squeals emitted from Mai's mouth as she grabbed her toiletries and sprinted to the shower. Mai showered in record time, brushed her teeth and was brushing her hair on the walk back to her room.

She then emptied out her school bag and then chucked her Physics books, pencil case and planner in.

Mai had no time to check her appearance as she pulled on shoes and legged it down to the reception.

"I'm so sorry!" she said hastily. "I overslept!"

"No matter, dear," Luella said kindly. Beside her, Eugene waved. "Come on then. I'll drop her back later," she added to the Matron, who nodded.

Mai followed the two Davises from the reception and out to Luella's car.

"Why is this happening?" Mai asked, as soon as they were out of earshot of the Matron. "Oliver and I never agreed a time or date or anything!"

"I told you that if you didn't, I would sort it myself," Luella said, evidently happy with herself. "Besides, you chose to come, didn't you? When you could have stayed at the boarding house."

Luella smirked at Mai's scowl.

"Where is Oliver anyway?" Mai aimed her question at Eugene as they climbed into the car.

"Still in bed."

Mai's eyes widened in shock.

"But—"

"He'll probably have woken up by the time we get there," Luella said. "And if not, you can wake him up with a nice cup of tea. He'll like that."

Eugene sniggered next to Mai for the remainder of the car journey.

Luella let them into the house, only to be greeted by Martin.

"Is Noll awake yet?" Luella asked.

"He hasn't come down yet," Martin replied. He sent Mai a pitying look, which she received gratefully.

"Wonderful, come on Mai, Gene, let's make some tea."

Mai and Eugene followed Luella to the kitchen, leaving Martin to sigh before returning to his newspaper.

Luella filled the kettle with water and switched it on, then rummaged through the cupboard for enough clean mugs.

"How are you Mai? Did you have enough to eat? The Matron mentioned you hadn't finish eating before joining us?"

"I'm fine," Mai insisted.

"Are you sure, dear? I don't mind whipping you up some food. I did tell the Matron you wouldn't be back until late, I hope that's okay."

"Mum, leave the poor girl alone," Eugene muttered.

"I just want her to know what's going on," Luella defended. "Now take this up to Noll and wake him up."

She handed over a mug of tea and ushered Mai from the room.

Cheeks aflame, Mai began up the stairs, careful not to spill any of the precious liquid.

"I am so watching this," Eugene's voice said from behind her.

"Yeah if you could get his door for me, that would be great," Mai said.

Eugene complied and bowed dramatically as Mai entered.

Oliver's room was dark. She could just see his sleeping form on the bed. He appeared to be half hugging, half lying on top of his pillow.

"Oliver? Oliver, it's time to wake up now. I brought you tea," Mai said softly.

Oliver groaned.

"Mai? What are you doing here?" he said huskily into his pillow. "Am I dreaming?"

Mai, ever grateful for the dark, blushed and tried her best to ignore Eugene chuckling in the doorway.

"I brought you tea," Mai repeated.

"Tea and Mai," Eugene said. "Sounds perfect, huh, Noll? And Mai wants to do Physics with you!"

"It sounded perfect until you opened your mouth," Noll muttered. "Mai, why are you here?"

"Mum kidnapped her," Eugene provided.

Oliver frowned, his eyes still closed.

"Mai, do you really have tea?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful."

He forced himself into a sitting position and reached for the tea, ignoring Mai's scarlet face. Mai was definitely not looking at his naked torso. No, she was looking at his face. Definitely his face.

Not his naked torso.

* * *

 **Author's note: Things just keep getting cuter for like nother 2-3 chapters... *dreamy sigh* Please review!**


	22. Part 2: Chapter 22

"Unless you wish to see me in my underwear, perhaps I could have a minute to get dressed?"

"Of course!"

Mai scrambled from the room amongst Eugene's laughter.

"You are such a pervert," Eugene muttered.

"I am not!"

"You were totally staring."

"I wasn't!"

"You were!"

"I—"

"I'm telling Masako."

Eugene pulled his phone from his pocket.

"No!" Mai launched herself at Eugene, who dodged easily.

"Are you two quite finished?"

Mai and Eugene looked around to see Oliver standing in his doorway, nursing the cup of tea.

Mai snatched Eugene's phone from his hand in the momentary pause and yelled triumphantly.

"Oi! Give that back!"

"No!"

Oliver sighed like an exasperated parent.

"Mai, hand over the phone."

Mai handed it over with a sheepish expression.

Eugene held his hand out for it, but Oliver pocketed it.

"What?! No fair!"

"You can have it back after breakfast," Oliver muttered. "Come on."

The three teenagers went to the kitchen, where Luella had predicted Oliver's wishes and began cooking his breakfast.

"Nice to see you in the land of the living," Luella commented. "Sleep well?"

"Mother, why did you kidnap Mai?"

"Physics tutoring, obviously."

Oliver glared at his mother, who remained unhurt by his attempts to set her on fire with his mind.

"And besides, Gene, dear, what was that text you received, why don't you read it out for me?"

Mai's face, having only just recovered from it's last blush, returned to it's flushed state.

"Noll stole my phone, so I can't."

"Oliver, give Gene his phone back," Luella ordered.

Oliver scowled, but handed over the phone.

"Now read it aloud for us all," Luella went on.

"Mai said that she was upset at lunch and that Noll found her and then left. She proceeded to say that he came back saying that I had told him to hug her because she was crying and then he hugged her and gave her food," Eugene paraphrased.

Oliver's eyes shot to Mai, who pointedly stared at her feet.

"Now Noll, why on earth did you tell Mai that Gene told you to hug her when he didn't?" Luella asked with a smug smile. When Oliver did not speak, she went on, "Well, dear? Because we don't approve of lying in this household, do we?"

"I was not lying."

"But I didn't say that—"

"Not yesterday, no, but a while back you gave me advice not to leave people crying."

"When was this?" Eugene asked, incredulous.

"When we first started at the school," Oliver recounted.

Eugene blinked, then burst out laughing.

"Noll, you are a wonder," Luella said, still smiling. "And a smelly one at that, have you forgotten how to shower, or would you like Mai to show you how?"

Mai spat out the mouthful of tea she had been about to swallow.

"I'll be fine," Oliver stated. He stood up and left the kitchen, leaving Eugene clutching his sides.

When Eugene had caught his breath, he challenged Mai to a game of Forza. Mai had not played the racing game before, but readily accepted, if only to give her poor cheeks time to recover.

"I am sorry for embarrassing you Mai," Luella said, with no hint of remorse.

"It's fine," Mai replied.

"Come on, Mai!" Eugene called from the lounge.

Mai bounded in, took a controller from Eugene and listened to his quick explanation of the controls.

"Got it?"

"No, but let's go anyway, I'll get the hang of it!"

Eugene did not look convinced, but hit play nonetheless. Having played the game several times before, Eugene soon sped into the lead. Mai, on the other hand, managed to crash on the first corner.

Giggling, she managed one lap in the time that Eugene had finished the race.

"Mai, you can go faster than that," Eugene teased.

"Excuse you, I am being a safe and responsible driver."

"Mai, you are going at twenty miles per hour."

"'Hit me at thirty and there is a twenty percent change I'll die' that is what the advert said," Mai said. "So twenty must be safer!"

"Mai there are no small children on the road! It's a game!"

"Oh shush," Mai said, still laughing.

"Are you going to finish some time this century?" Oliver asked from behind them.

Mai glanced around to see him toweling his hair dry.

"No, she won't be," Eugene groaned. "Give it here Mai, please, let me save us all from the torture."

"I am doing just fine!"

Eugene reached around Mai and pressed his fingers over Mai's to speed her car up.

"Gene! No!"

"I'm helping," Eugene insisted.

Oliver rolled his eyes, unnoticed by either of them.

Eventually Mai, with Eugene's unwanted assistance, finished in last place.

"Come on Mai, let's get on."

"Spoil sport," Eugene muttered.

"Shouldn't you be doing your own homework?" Mai asked as she grabbed her bag. She had previously left it just inside the door.

"Yeah," he admitted as they began up the stairs. "See you guys in a bit."

They split up at the top of the stairs.

Oliver set about clearing some of his desk so they had space to work.

"I'm sorry about this," Mai said. "Your Mum turned up halfway through my breakfast. I didn't know. I had ten minutes to shower and get dress and—"

"Mai, it's fine," Oliver said. "Did you bring the test with you?"

"Yeah I've got it here," she mumbled, opening her bag and pulling her folder out. She shuffled through the loose paper when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Oliver called.

"Sorry," Eugene said as he entered. "Could I sit in here with you?"

Eugene, who minutes before had been standing tall and laughing, was now cowering and nervously rubbing his arm.

"Of course you can," Mai said brightly. "You can tell Oliver off whenever he bullies me for not getting it!"

Eugene smiled gratefully and climbed onto Oliver's bed, where he opened up his French literature book and began reading quietly.

"Thanks," Oliver mouthed.

"Here," Mai said, handing over the test. "Please don't think too badly when you read through it."

Mai watched Oliver's eyes scan the paper, her body filling with apprehension.

"Well," he began once finished, "The bad news is that you're an idiot. The good news is that you are not unintelligent."

"What?"

"What you've written makes perfect sense, it's just not the right thing. It's almost as if you are answering different questions."

"Oh."

"Right, let's go through all of these, then I'll set you some extra questions."

Mai smiled and they set to work.

* * *

By the time they had finished, Luella was calling them all down for lunch. She had made butternut squash soup and had warmed up a baguette in the oven.

"Help yourselves to the soup, I'll just cut you all some of this baguette," she said, pointing.

Oliver passed down soup bowls from the cupboard and the three teens helped themselves to generous portions. Luella placed a plate of cut up bread on the table before swooping around to where Oliver was sat.

Luella cupped his chin so that he tipped his head back.

"That bruise still isn't gone. I'm half tempted to get you an eye appointment," she muttered.

"What? Why?" Oliver asked, returning to his soup.

"Well why else would you have tripped over something? Your eyesight needs testing."

"I am fine, Mother."

"I'll look into that for you both, it's been a while since your last test anyway."

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"My eyesight is perfectly fine."

"Really?" Luella doubted.

"Well, I can see all the wrinkles on your face."

Mai gasped, but Luella did not seem offended in the slightest.

"And for that, young man, you are most definitely going to the opticians."

Oliver rolled his eyes again as Luella left to take Martin his lunch.

"I can't believe you said that to her!"

"Payback for her earlier attempts at teasing," Oliver muttered.

"Oh and boys?" Luella called through from the lounge.

"Yeah?" Gene called back.

"Madoka is coming for tea tonight," Luella replied. "Oh and completely by coincidence, so is Lin."

Both twins groaned.

"Isn't Madoka the one that fancies Lin?" Mai asked.

"Yes," Oliver said.

"Our mother likes setting people up, haven't you noticed?" Eugene said, bemused.

* * *

They returned to Oliver's room after they had finished eating. They worked for an hour or so more before Eugene declared that they had done enough. Mai agreed, so Oliver relented.

"What do you want to do now?"

"Cards?" Eugene suggested.

"Sure."

Oliver retrieved his deck, climbed onto his bed and dealt out hands for gin rummy.

"Um, I don't know how to play," Mai said, wincing. She had remained in the chair by Oliver's desk.

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Come here."

He patted the bed beside him and Mai sat, looking sheepish.

Oliver set about explaining the rules with Eugene's help. They ran through a simulated game to demonstrate to Mai.

"Got it?" Eugene asked.

"Yeah, I think so."

Mai lost the first game badly. She lost the second game too, but by the third her loss was slightly more respectable.

They played until Luella called them down for dinner.

"Where is Madoka? And Lin?" Eugene asked when they entered the dining hall.

"They are delayed, so you three can eat now and we'll dine with them later," Luella said.

Mai thought she saw a flash of relief cross Eugene's face, but it had disappeared before she could check again.

Luella passed around plates of spaghetti bolognaise before finding the parmesan and the cheddar and placing them in the centre of the table.

Mai sat down opposite to Oliver and it was only as they began eating that Mai realised just how much thinner Eugene looked compared to Oliver.

Both boys were skinny, they always had been, there was not an inch of fat on either of them. But Eugene's cheeks were hollowed, his arms bony and his skin pale.

Mai knew better than to point it out at the dinner table. She knew the stress of A Levels was bad, but had it caused this?

Or was it due to other things?

Surreptitiously, Mai watched Eugene eat. He had not chosen to add cheese to his meal, and seemed happier pushing his food around the plate than actually consuming it.

Mai concluded he definitely had something else on his mind.

"Mai, dear, I can either take you home now, or wait until Lin and Madoka have left?" Luella offered.

"Um…" Mai looked to Oliver for help, not knowing what to say.

"I have a lot of other homework I need to be getting on with," Oliver said.

"Yeah, me too," Mai said quickly. She felt a pang of disappointment, but knew that it would be the sensible thing to do.

"Okay then, do you two want to come with me?" Luella asked the twins.

"Yeah okay," Eugene said.

"I'll just go get my stuff."

Mai hurried up the stairs and grabbed her belongings. She was about to leave Oliver's room when he entered himself.

"Socks," he muttered in reply to her inquisitive look.

"You don't have to come with us," Mai said quickly. "If you've got work to be doing."

"Mai, if I don't, I will never hear the end of it from my Mother."

"Jeesh, you could make it sound like you want to come," Mai teased.

She smiled up at Oliver, but her smile faltered as she noticed the serious expression on his face. His blue eyes bore into her own, occasionally flickering to her lips.

"What I want to do and what the best course of action is are two entirely different things though," he murmured.

Mai's mouth went dry. She swallowed, but maintained eye contact.

"And… W-What do you want to do?" she whispered.

"You talk about kissing a lot in your fanfiction," Oliver said, his voice still low. "I am currently curious about what all the fuss is about."

"Maybe we should find out."

Mai licked her lips.

"Maybe we should."

Oliver's face was characteristically blank as he moved down.

His lips edged ever closer to Mai's.

She closed her eyes.

Any moment—

"Guys, are you coming?" Eugene's voice broke through the moment.

Mai sprung back, crashed into the edge of the bed and almost fell over. Oliver merely straightened up, unbothered.

"Did I interrupt something?" Eugene asked, glancing from his brother to Mai and back again.

"I was just collecting some socks."

Oliver strode past Eugene and down the stairs.

"Sorry," Eugene mumbled to Mai.

"What for? Nothing was happening!" Mai said, her cheeks furiously red.

Eugene raised an eyebrow at her.

"Really?"

"Nothing yet," she admitted. "It's fine."

She looked down at her feet.

"Are you two coming?" Luella called from downstairs.

The drive back to the boarding house was quiet. Luella made a few stabs at conversation, but nothing took hold.

"Noll, dear, why don't you walk Mai in?" Luella suggested as she pulled up outside the boarding house.

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"It's fine," Mai insisted. "It's like ten metres."

Oliver got out of the car anyway.

"Thank you for having me over," Mai said quickly, before climbing out and starting towards the boarding house.

"I told you Mai, that if I don't follow these _suggestions_ from my mother that I'll never hear the end of them," Oliver muttered as they walked.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be."

He stopped just outside the entrance and turned to face Mai.

"They are both watching, aren't they?" he asked.

Mai looked around to see both Luella and Eugene staring at them from the car.

"Yes," she said, turning her head back to look up at Oliver. "Well you should be off, I'm sure your Mum wants to be back in time to set Lin and Madoka up some more."

Oliver chuckled.

"They are already dating," he revealed.

"What?"

"Have been since the last time she invited them both around for dinner."

"And she doesn't know?"

"I think Madoka finds it amusing to see what my Mother will come up with next," Oliver said.

Mai giggled behind her hand.

"Well I'd rather she was setting them up than us," Mai admitted.

"Oh really?"

"She suggested I teach you how to shower!"

"Yes, that was rather… Interesting."

"Um, about what happened in your room—"

"I better be off," Oliver interrupted.

Then he bent down and pressed his lips to Mai's cheek.

Mai froze.

Oliver smirked momentarily at her reaction, before forcing his face back to its usual blank facade and striding to the car.

Mai watched him go, her hand rising to her cheek. She could feel the warmth radiating off her skin, but she did not care in the slightest.

Oliver had kissed her!

She could just make out Luella's shocked, but pleased face in the car. Eugene's grin was triumphant. Oliver glanced back at her once he had reached the car, he sent her an odd sort of smile before taking a deep breath and climbing in.

* * *

Mai floated on cloud nine for the rest of the evening.

 **Eugene: I swear that Mum almost had a heart attack when he did that! She didn't even interrogate him afterwards!**

 **Mai: Well I'm glad he didn't suffer!**

She relieved the moment in her head.

After what had happened in Oliver's room, she had thought her chance was blown. She did not blame Eugene in the slightest for walking in on them, they should have been leaving after all.

Her cheeks hurt from smiling.

"I have to tell Masako."

So she phoned her best friend and relayed every glorious detail of the day. Though Masako, unknown to Mai, had already had a full account from Eugene.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well... That was awfully fluffy! Luella is my favourite. She is soooo much fun to write! Please review :)**


	23. Part 2: Chapter 23

Mai's happiness extended to Sunday.

"What are you so cheerful about?" Yasuhara asked, sitting down next to her at breakfast.

"Nothing, just a beautiful day."

Yasuhara pointedly looked out of the window at the rain.

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Can't I just be happy?"

"Only if you hang out with me today," Yasuhara said. "Where were you yesterday?"

"Tutoring."

"For what?"

"I failed my Physics test…"

"Sucks. So do you wanna hang out?"

"Yeah, okay."

Nothing could wipe the grin off of Mai's face.

* * *

Yasuhara was reluctant to let Mai return to her room after dinner that night. Only when she shoved her planner in his face and showed him just how much homework she had, did he finally consent to her leaving.

Mai felt guilty about deserting her friend, who was obviously craving kind human comfort, but her homework and the impending doom that was the Physics retest were more important.

She made a mental note to make it up to him later as she began her homework.

Two hours and several pieces of homework later, Mai realised that she had neglected to check her phone all day.

 **Masako: Mai! I have an audition! Like a real audition!**

Fortunately, Masako had only sent the text half an hour ago.

 **Mai: What for? (Sorry, I was doing homework!)**

 **Masako: Some play I've never heard of, but it's with the National Youth Theatre! They are sending me the script tomorrow!**

Mai honestly did not realise how momentous this was for Masako, but the use of the word 'National' gave her some idea.

 **Mai: Oh wow! Well done! When is it?**

 **Masako: Next weekend, my parents have booked me a hotel in London! I'm so happy!**

 **Mai: That's so cool!**

* * *

Mai's happiness survived until Tuesday, when she was faced with the reality of the retest. She entered the Physics classroom at lunch, shaking.

"Right, spread out," the teacher called. "Then get out your pencil cases and calculators, leave the rest of your stuff in your bag."

Mai opened her bag and reached in for her pencil case, but the first thing she touched was not something she recognised. Glancing inside, she saw a packet of Magic Stars with a post-it note stuck on it.

She pulled the note off and read it.

 **You can do it.**

The script was small and neat, if Mai had not known better, she would have guessed that it had been typed.

It was Oliver's handwriting.

Mai smiled in spite of herself, dropped the note back in her bag and found her pencil case and calculator.

The test went better than Mai had predicted it would. She managed to give an answer for every single question and even though she would have liked to be a lot more confident in her responses, she could not complain about the outcome.

* * *

Mai trotted down to the canteen on Wednesday night, hungry. Not for the first time in recent times, she bumped into Yasuhara.

"What are you doing down here so late?" he demanded.

"It's like nine o'clock," Mai retorted. "It's hardly late. I was hungry. Why are you down here?"

"Grabbing some food before I head out."

"Head out?"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sneaking out. I can't stand spending my life inside this hell hole. I need to get out just to breathe."

Mai's eyes widened at his words.

"I should tell Matron on you."

"Are you going to?" Yasuhara asked, a hint of a threat evident in his voice.

"No," Mai admitted. "But I won't stick up for you if you get caught either."

"Wouldn't expect you to," Yasuhara spat.

He stalked from the room, toast in hand, leaving Mai feeling conflicted.

How could he expect her to stick up for him if he was going to blatantly ignore the rules that were set down for his own benefit? It was not fair of him at all.

Mai's mouth fell open as another realisation set in.

She hastily wiped chocolate spread on her freshly popped toast and sprinted back to her room. Picking up her phone, she dialed Oliver's number, that she may or may not have known off by heart.

Pacing around her room, she ate a tiny bite of her toast as she waited for Oliver to pick up.

"Mai? What's wrong?"

"Is Gene with you?"

"Yes, why?"

Mai sighed in relief.

"Sorry, I just saw Yasuhara sneaking out and I didn't want a repeat of last Saturday. You haven't recovered from that yet…"

"Ah. I see." Oliver's voice was stiff. "Thank you for letting me know."

"I just… I don't want any of you getting hurt."

"Me neither," Oliver muttered. "I'll let you get on."

Mai could just hear Eugene's voice in the background.

"Bye," Mai said softly.

"Goodbye."

Oliver hung up.

Guilt settled in Mai's stomach for snitching on Yasuhara, but if it stopped him fighting with Oliver then in her mind, that made it okay.

She took another bite out of her half cold toast, frowning.

Mai wanted to believe that everyone was telling the truth.

That Oliver had not lied with the words he had snarled at Yasuhara.

That Yasuhara had not lied when he said he had not done anything unwanted to Eugene.

That Eugene meant it every time he said he was 'fine'...

One of them had to be lying.

That was a truth that did not settle well in Mai's mind.

A vibration in her hand made Mai jump and almost drop her phone.

 **Oliver: I had to tell Gene that you were forced to cancel on a 'date' that we had organise for this Saturday due to something coming up. I did not want to relay the true reason for your call.**

 **Mai: That's understandable. Thanks for letting me know.**

 **Oliver: Of course, this means we will have to reschedule this 'date'.**

Mai reread the message three times before his words sunk in.

 **Mai: Only if you want to…**

 **Oliver: I can think of worse things to do than spend an afternoon with you. Besides, both Gene and my Mother have been verbally disappointed at our lack of progress since Saturday.**

 **Mai: I'm surprised Luella hasn't begun planning the wedding and naming the grandchildren!**

 **Oliver: Please do not give her ideas…**

 **Oliver: Soon as you are now 'busy' on Saturday, are you free on Sunday?**

Mai squealed and bit her lip. Was she free on Sunday?

Who was she kidding? Of course she was free.

 **Mai: Well, I'll have to move a few very important appointments around, but I suppose I could make it. What time and where?**

 **Oliver: Noon, I'll pick you up.**

Mai finished her toast with a grin on her face. For just a few moments, she felt like an ordinary teenager whose friends weren't all fighting for some unknown reason.

* * *

In Friday's lesson, Mai received her retest back.

"Ninety eight?!" Masako read over her shoulder. "Damn I should get Noll to tutor me!"

"Hands off," Mai said, a teasing edge to her voice. "Besides, he's busy this weekend."

"Oh is he now? And why might that be?"

"Um… Well…"

"Mai—"

"Miss Hara, Miss Taniyama, are you two paying attention or am I going to have to split you to up?"

"Sorry Miss," Masako said hastily, then she growled under breath, "Well?"

"He asked me on a date," Mai whispered.

Masako's face split into a wide smile.

"Where is he taking you?"

"No idea."

"Miss Taniyama, please move to the front."

Mai swore under her breath as she collected her things and moved.

"And see me at the end of the class, Miss Taniyama."

Mai held in her groan so as to not aggravate her teacher further.

At the end of the lesson, Mai approached the teacher's desk and waited for her to finish putting her things away.

"Now, Miss Taniyama—"

"I'm really sorry for talking to Masako, she was just really proud of me for bumping my mark up so much," the words burst out of Mai's mouth unbidden.

Her teacher smiled slightly.

"I did not call you up to talk about you and Miss Hara disrupting the class," she said.

"Oh."

"I was very pleased with your retest score. I understand that you have a scholarship, is that correct?"

"Yes, it covers my board," Mai told her teacher. "It's dependant on me maintaining a high grade average."

"Which is why I am going to record your retest score as your original," her teacher revealed. "I was shocked by your first result. Was there any reason?"

"I had a really bad day," Mai said. "But I asked for help after that, I had a sixth former tutor me and—"

"Who was it?"

"Huh?"

"I teach both of the A Level Physics classes, I am curious which of my students tutored you."

"Oliver Davis."

To say Mai's teacher looked startled was an understatement.

"Really?"

"Yes, I am friends with him and his brother, Eugene."

"I would not have thought Oliver had the patience to tutor."

"Neither did I," Mai admitted. "But he's really quite good."

"That boy is good at whatever he puts his mind to. Well I am pleased it all worked out."

"Am I free to go now?"

"Of course, though Miss Taniyama?"

"Yes?"

"Disrupt my class again and I will put you in detention. I trust you will relay that to Miss Hara also."

"Yes, will do Miss!"

Mai all but ran from the room to find Masako waiting for her outside. She relayed the conversation as they headed for their next lesson.

"I'm glad she didn't give us detention," Masako said. "That would really suck after doing so well!"

"Yeah it would!" Mai agreed.

"Now this date, where is he taking you?"

"No idea, he just said he'd pick me up at noon," Mai revealed.

"Ooh, a surprise! How exciting! I will have to quiz him about that later," Masako murmured. "Or get Gene to drop appropriate hints…"

"Are you two working against me and Oliver?"

"It's not against, its for your own good!" Masako insisted. "We have watched you two dance around each other for too long and I, for one, am fed up of it!"

Mai groaned.

"Can you just let us sort things out alone?"

"Yeah, because that has worked so well in the past. When he's proposed and impregnated you, I'll leave you alone."

"Did Luella die and start possessing you or something?"

Masako laughed goodnaturedly.

"No," Masako said. "But I think focusing on you and Noll is helping Gene. Seeing you two happy really cheered him up, especially after whatever happened with Yasuhara."

"Yeah…"

Well, if it made Eugene happy, who was Mai to refuse a little relationship help?

* * *

 **Mai: Just a heads up, Masako and Eugene are trying to meddle with our relationship.**

 **Oliver: Have you only just realised this?**

Mai scowled at her phone.

 **Mai: You could have warned me!**

 **Oliver: Could have, but where would the fun be in that! Do you want to hear their current suggestions for where I take you on a date?**

 **Mai: I don't know… Do I?**

Mai could honestly think of some dreadful suggestions that Masako and Eugene would come up with just to embarrass her.

 **Oliver: Burlesque show, strip club, bra shopping again (because, and I quote Gene, 'Mai loved that so much!') and so on…**

Mai groaned, grabbed her pillow and hid her face in it. How did she ever think that Masako was her friend?!

 **Mai: And your opinions on these?**

 **Oliver: Well the first two neither of us are old enough to do. Is your blood pressure up to surviving another bra shopping trip? I am more than willing to explain the finer points of garters if you want.**

 **Mai: Nooo, please nooo.**

Mai's flushed cheeks were producing so much heat that she had to fan herself.

 **Oliver: What a shame.**

Mai spluttered.

 **Oliver: Please do not be too concerned, I do not want you to entirely hate our time together.**

 **Mai: What do you mean entirely?**

 **Oliver: Where would the fun be in not teasing you a little?**

 **Mai: One day, and mark my words Oliver Davis, I will successfully tease you back!**

Mai did not know when that would come, or how on earth she would manage this feat, but she deemed it a good goal.

 **Oliver: And one day, pigs will fly.**

Mai scowled.

 **Mai: Why do I like you again?**

 **Oliver: I believe your previous explanation of that question revolved around the fact that I am handsome and kind to you.**

Mai pouted, he had got her there.

 **Oliver: Oh, and because I give you chocolate.**

 **Mai: Hey! You do that of your own accord. Though I appreciate it :)**

 **Oliver: My mother once said that the way to any man's heart was his stomach, I was curious if it worked with females too.**

"What am I to him…? An experiment?"

 **Oliver: Though I think choosing you as the subject of this test was not the wisest choice I made.**

 **Mai: Why?**

 **Oliver: Because you were already smitten with me of course.**

Mai was ready to die of embarrassment. But Oliver was not lying, she had fancied him long before the Magic Stars had started appearing in her bag.

 **Mai: If you knew that all along, why did you wait so long to make a move?**

 **Oliver: Honestly?**

Mai could tell that the tone of their conversation had changed.

 **Mai: Of course.**

 **Oliver: I was concerned that if I made a move and told you the things I shared with you on Halloween, that you would reject me. I did not want that.**

Mai felt guiltier than ever for her reaction on Halloween.

 **Mai: I am sorry for reacting like I did.**

 **Oliver: It was a misunderstanding, not your true thoughts on the matter.**

 **Mai: Yeah. Well, I should probably go to sleep. I have a long day of not being on a date with you.**

 **Oliver: Yes, and you definitely need your beauty sleep.**

 **Mai: You wound me, so deep.**

 **Oliver: Goodnight Mai.**

 **Mai: Goodnight Oliver :)**

Mai plugged her phone in and wriggled under the covers. Though apprehensive about this date with Oliver, the prospect made her happier than she had been in a long time.

Apart from that kiss, perhaps…

* * *

 **Author's note: Okay next two chapters are still sort of cute-ish... Then chapter 26 everything goes to shit again yay! Please review :)**


	24. Part 2: Chapter 24

The inescapable truth of her date with Oliver on Sunday meant that Mai had to do all of her homework on Saturday. When she woke, she sent a brief 'good luck' text to Masako with regards to her audition that day.

Then she headed down to breakfast, bumping into John as she poured herself some orange juice.

"Hey Mai."

"John, are you busy today?"

"Why? Want a thrashing at table tennis?" John teased.

"In your dreams. I was sort of hoping with some help on my history homework…"

"Ah, I'm sorry Mai, my parents are coming up this weekend."

John's face reminded Mai of a puppy that had just been kicked.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know."

"It's fine, but I won't be able to help today at least. How about tomorrow?"

"I'm busy tomorrow," Mai admitted. "Don't worry, I'll manage somehow."

She smiled, hoping to ease John's pain at not being able to help. He was too kind for his own good.

"Why don't you ask Yasuhara? He excels in our History class?"

"I…"

That had not even occurred to Mai.

"I could. Where is he…?" She looked around in search of her other friend. "Thanks John."

"No problem."

"Have fun with your parents!"

"Will do, see you later!"

Mai returned to scanning the room.

Yasuhara was sat in the corner by the window, staring out at the weak winter sun and idling stirring his cereal.

Mai picked up her tray and strode over.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Mai."

"That's my name. So can I?"

"Sure."

Mai sat down opposite Yasuhara and waited for him to strike up conversation.

He did not.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing really," he mumbled. "Just thinking."

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Yasuhara looked around at Mai and frowned. He bit his lip, evidently struggling for words.

"I am just having trouble dealing with something personal," he said eventually.

"Do you want to talk about it? I'm all ears."

"I… Maybe some other time."

"Okay," Mai agreed. "Well if you want a distraction for today, I am full of wonderful ideas."

"Go on?" Yasuhara prompted.

"Most of them involve you helping me with this History essay I have due on Monday," Mai admitted.

Yasuhara laughed.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah I have all the resources and stuff, I just have no side to pick for the argument in it and I really suck at essays in the first place. Like I never feel like my points are valid and we have mocks in January and I could really do with help from a seasoned pro like yourself."

"Please, keep singing my praises."

Yasuhara's lips had turned up at the side. Mai was glad to see he had cheered up a tad.

"Oh great and wonderful one, master of essays and historical knowledge, please help me, a mere mortal, not worthy of your presence!" Mai begged, hands clasped together.

Yasuhara rolled his eyes.

"Alright, I have nothing better to do."

"Excellent."

Mai beamed and began eating with gusto.

"You should eat up," she suggested, indicating his bowl with her fork.

Yasuhara looked down at the bowl of cereal as if he had forgotten all about it.

"Yeah," he agreed. He took a mouthful of cereal and winced. "Soggy."

"Well you shouldn't have left it so long," Mai said, tutting.

Once they had finished eating, both teens collected their things and they reconvened in the emptying dining hall. It would be the quietest place to work on a Saturday. The common room would be full of noisy students playing and talking.

Yasuhara turned out to know a lot more than Mai had given him credit for. Despite having done a different GCSE syllabus at his old school, he was still able to give a decent account of the Cold War with more detail that Mai could have done. Even though she had been sitting through two hours of lessons a week on it for the past two months.

"You're like a little history encyclopedia," Mai said as she finished jotting down her conclusion. Yasuhara had also provided a lot of essay writing tips that made the whole process a lot less painful. "I cannot thank you enough. You're my saviour!"

"I wouldn't let Oliver hear you say that," Yasuhara muttered.

"Huh? Why?"

"Nothing."

Mai frowned, but did not question it. She was having fun and did not want to ruin the day with talk of the fight or any related topic. Though now it was on her mind, Mai noticed that Yasuhara's bruisings had not gone down as quickly as Oliver's had.

"Do you want to play table tennis after lunch?" Mai suggested, hoping to distract him with a lighter topic.

"Have you got all your homework done?" Yasuhara asked.

"Most of the urgent stuff," Mai said, twisting in her seat. "This history essay was the thing I was most worried about. But I can type this up later, that won't take too long!"

"Then okay, table tennis it is!" Yasuhara said. He smiled, but the reflection in his glasses prevented Mai from being able to tell whether said smile reached his eyes or not.

After a hasty lunch of carbonara, Mai and Yasuhara raced to claim the table tennis table. They were in luck and soon had one of the tiny balls bouncing back and forth between them.

"Let's do the next game with the wrong hand," Mai suggested. "Playing left handed an all."

Yasuhara groaned, but agreed.

Neither of them played half as well as they did with their right hands, but with a few fluke shots, Mai pulled out a win.

"You have done that before," Yasuhara accused.

"Maybe," Mai admitted. "John once challenged me to it, he's practically ambidextrous, so he floored me. I sometimes practice just in case he pulls it on me again."

"Is he really ambidextrous?"

"Well, no, but he eats with his knife and fork the wrong way around, and he plays the piano so he's had lots of practice using his left hand for stuff that normal people just don't bother with," Mai explained. "It's kind of cool really."

"Yeah."

Yasuhara suddenly enveloped Mai in a tight hug.

"Thank you, for cheering me up."

"Eww, get off you're all sweaty!"

Yasuhara laughed and tightened his grip around Mai.

"No! Stop!" she whined, not really minding.

But Yasuhara sprung back.

"Sorry."

His eyes had gone wide.

"It's fine," Mai said, laughing. "I was just joking. Hey, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Yeah… I'm fine. I should go and shower."

"Yeah, me too."

"Can we hang out again tomorrow?" Yasuhara asked.

"Um, I'm kind of busy tomorrow. Sorry. What about Monday?"

"Will you sit with me at lunch?"

"Of course," Mai agreed readily, not thinking about the potential consequences of this action.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Thanks Mai, see you at dinner, yeah?"

"Of course!"

* * *

Mai woke the next morning to the sound of her phone ringing.

"Masako? It's the middle of the night," she complained before accepting the call.

"Hi!" Masako's bright bubbly voice greeted her.

"It's the middle of the night," Mai repeated.

"It's almost ten, Mai."

"Like I said, middle of the night."

Masako laughed.

"Don't you want to hear all about my audition?"

"I can guess exactly how it went," Mai said. "You were wonderful, they all died of shock, you're now the lead of the show."

"Not quite."

"Then they are stupid."

"Mai, shut up and listen," Masako said, giggling. "So I did my own piece, the casting people were quiet, but they always are, so that was not concerning. But then I could watch the next people. So I did. And the boy after me, must have been our age, but he was shaking like a leaf. He ended up crying on stage while trying to sing. It was a real shame he had a beautiful voice!"

"Aww," Mai mumbled, sympathetic to this boy's plight. She doubted she could get on stage and sing.

"Yeah, then the next girl was like seven? Maybe eight? And she was so good! She marched on the stage and sung her little heart out and did all her lines perfectly and at one point she corrected the person that was giving her the cues. It was so cute!"

"That's amazing," Mai gushed. She rolled over in her bed. "Hang on a minute! What was this about you telling Oliver to take me to a burlesque show for our date today?"

Mai blushed on the word date. But Masako could not see her, so it was okay.

"We thought you might enjoy it after the previous garter incident," Masako said, muffling her own laughs.

"I hate you."

"You won't be saying that when I'm famous on the west end and you want tickets," Masako teased.

"As if you would refuse me," Mai retorted.

"Maybe you could drag Oliver along, I'm sure he'd love that!"

Both girls burst out laughing.

"I wouldn't want to torture the poor boy that much," Mai said.

"I would."

"You're evil."

"I know."

"I should get up."

"Yes, you should. You need to beautify yourself."

"As if it makes a difference," Mai muttered. "Oliver doesn't care."

"So? You have a wonderful excuse to dress up a little."

"Oh yes, because I own so many dresses and pretty things."

"Well if you two had given me more notice I would have taken you shopping and bought you a dress and pretty shoes and matching underwear…" Masako sighed dreamily.

"Then I am glad I did not give you more notice," Mai said.

"You're no fun."

"I am too," Mai protested.

"Go and shower, Mai," Masako ordered. "And send me pictures of your outfit choices!"

"Will do!"

Mai groaned, hung up and clambered out of bed. She showered, doubled washed her hair so it was definitely clean and wrapped herself up in a towel to walk back to her room.

"What the hell am I doing to wear…?" Mai mused as she flicked through her wardrobe.

She could not believe Oliver was going to do anything too outlandish, especially for a first date. Though had Oliver ever been on a first date? Mai somehow doubted it. She was sure this would have come up at some point if he had.

Mai pulled out her favourite skinny jeans and laid them on her bed. They looked good and were comfy, so that was a good start. They went best with her winter boots, and it was probably just cold enough to wear those. Which in turn meant she needed long thick socks.

There, half the outfit done already.

Mai flicked through her t-shirts and tried to ascertain which Masako would pick. Or would it matter if she was wearing a jumper? What jumpers did she even own?

"Why are clothes so difficult?"

She picked up her phone and rung Masako.

"Hello Mai."

"If I'm wearing skinny jeans, should I go for a baggy jumper or—"

"Yes, skinny jeans then a loose jumper. What about that pale pink one you have? I presume you are wearing your favourite skinnies?"

"Yeah, but pink? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, pair it with a scarf or something and wear your nice coat."

"But it isn't waterproof!"

"Take a brolly."

"But—"

"Mai, today is about looking cute, not being practical."

"But—"

"If I had my way I would have you in a dress and cute little shoes and knee high socks and—"

"I'm not a doll Masako."

"Oh if only," Masako said with a sigh. "I'm letting you wear jeans and I presume your boots?"

"Yeah."

"Make sure your socks match the rest of the colour scheme."

"Really?"

"Bright orange socks and a pink jumper is a no-no Mai."

Mai laughed. Grey socks would be fine right?

"Thanks Masako."

"I still expect a picture before you leave the house!"

"Yes Mum."

"Okay, message in a bit."

Masako hung up. Mai found the jumper in question and a cream coloured scarf.

She dressed and snapped a picture to send to Masako for approval.

 **Masako: The towel on your head really sets off the entire look.**

 **Mai: Thanks, I thought so too!**

 **Mai: But seriously, is this okay?**

 **Masako: Perfect, just brush your hair!**

 **Mai: But I thought you liked the towel :P**

Mai towel dried her hair and brushed it through. It was short enough that her hair would dry without having to use a hair dryer.

"Shit."

Mai checked the time, it was almost eleven. She had missed breakfast.

"Toast it is then."

She headed to the dining hall, hoping that there would be some leftovers, but she was out of luck. She resorted to making toast.

"You look cute," a voice said from behind her.

"Yasuhara! You made me jump."

"Sorry." He did not sound sorry. "So what are you so dressed up for?"

"I have a date," Mai said.

"With who?" he demanded.

"Oliver," she whispered. She flinched as his body tautened beside her.

"He shoved me into the lockers and you are going on a date with him?" Yasuhara's voice was filled with ice. "He did this!" He pointed to his still bruised face.

"And you punched him when his back was turned," Mai spat. "I am not picking sides."

She picked up her toast and stormed from the canteen. But Yasuhara had no intentions of leaving it there.

"He's violent Mai!" he shouted after her.

Mai spun on her hair, stomped her feet down and balled her toast-free hand into a fist.

"And so are you! Is that what you did to Gene? Did you hit him?" she accused.

Yasuhara looked like she had slapped him, but Mai did not wait to see if he had said anything else.

She left her toast on her desk, no longer having any desire to eat it.

* * *

Mai's phone rang at two minutes past twelve.

"Hello?"

"I'm outside."

"Coming."

Mai pulled on her coat and grabbed her phone and purse. She gave herself one last check in the mirror before darting out of her room and down the stairs.

Oliver was, as stated, at the school gates.

But Mai's mouth fell open as he turned to face her.

Oliver was wearing glasses. Large, black, rounded glasses.

"Problem?" Oliver asked, by way of a greeting.

"You're wearing glasses!"

"It turned out my mother was not joking when she said she was going to book an opticians appointment." He frowned down at Mai. "What is that face for? Is it the design?"

"Not at all, they look really good!" Mai said. "I'd just never imagined you wearing glasses before."

"Gene picked them," Oliver said as they began to walk. "I was going to settle for the cheapest frame that were comfortable, but he insisted on picking a pair that he deemed looked good."

"I am glad he went to the effort."

Oliver rolled his eyes, but he did not look displeased.

"Am I correct to assume that Masako had full control over your wardrobe choices today?" he asked.

"Um, let's go with strong suggestions," Mai said. "She said that if she had more time that she would have forced me into a dress and stuff. Gene chose your clothes?"

"I think he was more excited about it than I was," Oliver admitted. "But I'd prefer his suggestions to my Mother's."

Mai laughed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could just see Oliver's hand swinging beside him as he walked. She wondered if it was warm. Boys were supposed to be warm, were they not?

"Yeah, I bet Luella would have had you in a suit and tie. Not that you wouldn't have looked good in that."

"I could make anything work," Oliver said with a smirk.

"Have the glasses made a difference?" Mai asked, curious.

"To my long distance vision, yes," he said.

"So all that reading late at night did affect you, huh?" Mai teased.

Oliver inclined his head.

"But I can appreciate seeing some things better now."

"Like what?"

"Your smile."

Mai looked away to hide her blush.

"I know you are blushing Mai, there is no point in looking away."

"I hate you," she muttered.

"No you don't."

"No, I don't" Mai admitted. "So where are you taking me today?"

"Well I don't know about you," Oliver began, "But I did not eat breakfast. So would appreciate some food."

Mai thought that Oliver looked almost nervous, it was odd.

"Food sounds good," Mai said.

"Oh, and Mai?"

"Yes?"

"If you want to hold my hand, you would do better to ask rather than just stare at it and think you are being subtle."

Mai pouted up at Oliver, but he took her hand in his and continued walking.

His hand was warm.

* * *

 **Author's note: Aww isn't this whole chapter just so cute! It's almost like I don't want you all to suffer! Seriously, next chapter is still cutsie I think and then chapter 26 goes to shit, if you guess what happens I will share an easter egg with you! Please review!**


	25. Part 2: Chapter 25

After lunch at a small vegetarian cafe of Oliver's choosing, they wandered around town talking. Oliver dragged a not so unwilling Mai into a bookshop.

They both perused the shelves, happily lost in their own little words. Mai browsed the sci-fi and fantasy section while Oliver ended up in the pop-sci books

"Found anything good?" Oliver asked, a few books resting in the crook of his arm.

"Huh?" Mai mumbled, eyes glued to pages in front of her. "Oh hi, sorry I was just seeing if this was any good."

"Is it?"

"Yeah, I'll have to add it to my list."

Oliver took the book from her and glanced over the blurb.

"A slight departure from what you usually read, isn't it?"

"And how would you know?" Mai challenged.

"Well all of your fanfiction is teen and period romances… Not interplanetary space travel thrillers."

Mai sometimes wondered why her cheeks bothered to drain themselves of blood considering how often Oliver made her blush.

"Just because my fanfiction is of that genre doesn't mean I don't read other things," she defended.

"Of course not," Oliver said, smirking just to irk her. "Come on."

He rested the book he had taken from Mai on top of his own stack and began towards the checkout.

"What are you doing?"

"Buying these books," Oliver said simply.

"But—"

"Mai, my Father gave me fifty quid this morning and told me that if I brought home any change that he would ground me. I have no intentions of getting grounded. Considering the cost of lunch and these books, I will have enough change afterwards to buy us both a drink before we head back. Unless you would prefer for me to be grounded?"

"No, of course not," Mai muttered.

"Good."

"Why did your Dad give you so much anyway?"

"When he takes Luella out for dinner, he would spend more than that easily," Oliver explained. "So I'm sure he did not realise quite how ludicrous the sum was for two teenagers spending the afternoon together."

Mai sighed, jealous that Martin thought nothing of just handed over fifty pounds. One day, she hoped to be financially stable enough to do the same.

Oliver bought the books, took Mai's hand and guided her to the nearest coffee shop.

"Hot chocolate?" he guessed.

"Please," Mai said. "I'll find us somewhere to sit."

Oliver nodded and Mai glanced around the coffee shop. Did she go for the table, where they could stare lovingly at each other? Or the sofa, where she could be closer to Oliver? Such tough decisions.

Mai began towards the free table, thinking that the sofa might be pushing her luck, when someone sat down at it. Scowling, Mai diverted to the sofa and plonked down.

But Oliver made no comment about her choice of seating. He sat down beside Mai and turned the cup of her mug towards her.

"Thanks."

"Well, when I get home I will be inundated with questions about how this all went, so could I have a summary from you to report to my Mother with?"

Mai smiled at Oliver's question.

"Just tell her I had a lovely time and would be more than happy to do it again if you wanted to too," Mai said.

"Good. Maybe I should just give her your phone number, then she can annoy you instead," Oliver mused before taking a sip of his tea.

"I should put her on conference call with Masako then," Mai said, groaning. "She is going to want a blow by blow account of the whole day."

"Perhaps you should write it in fanfiction format as a one shot and send that to them instead."

"Write based on my own life with other people's characters?" Mai questioned in mock horror. "I could never!"

"Yes, the idea to write about Fitzwilliam Darcy hiding chocolate for Elizabeth Bennet as a — What were your words? — 'A poor attempt at flirting' was entirely your own idea?"

Oliver smirked as Mai spluttered beside him.

"How did you even find my fanfic?"

"A magician never reveals tricks."

Mai pouted.

"Spoilsport," Mai said. "You're no magician."

"You think? So how did I get the chocolate in your bag without your noticing?"

"I…" Mai's eyes widened suddenly. "Masako did tell you about my fanfiction, didn't she? That cow! She promised not to tell anyone!"

Oliver chuckled and sipped at his tea.

"Drink up."

Mai lifted the cup to her mouth.

"I'm going to murder her."

"Really?"

"No. But I will be very annoyed with her for at least ten minutes."

Oliver chuckled again.

Mai drank some of her hot chocolate.

"So was drinks and bookshops amongst Masako and Gene's suggestions?"

"Gene suggested keeping it casual, wandering around and getting drinks so as to 'not put pressure on the situation'," Oliver said. "But I thought of going to the bookshop all by myself."

Mai giggled.

"I can't believe some of their suggestions," she muttered.

"Yes, they had a lot of fun with those."

Mai finished her drink and leant back on the sofa.

"Thank you, for today," she said. "It's been nice to just hang out."

"Agreed."

Oliver walked Mai back to the boarding house and handed over her book.

"I expect to see some fanfiction of it soon," he teased.

"I'll try my best."

They looked at each for a whole minute without speaking.

"Well, this is awkward," Mai mumbled, looking away.

"I was trying to decide something," Oliver said quietly.

"Hmm?"

Mai looked back, hopeful.

"Our previous foray into kissing lead me to believe the action was not entirely unpleasant."

"That's good."

"But as a scientist I would like a repeat."

Mai grinned at his dorky excuse.

"Such a romantic."

"I try."

Oliver bent down and kissed Mai gently on the lips.

"I like kissing you," Mai murmured.

"Good."

And he kissed her again.

* * *

Mai danced back to her room singing Disney songs to herself. On her way, she walked straight into John, who looked like he hadn't been back long himself. Mai twirled him around and continued on her way, oblivious to his gentle laughter.

She placed her new book on her desk, took of her coat and hung it up, then picked up her phone and called Masako. She gave a hasty account of her day before rushing down to dinner.

Yasuhara avoided her at dinner, but Mai was too happy to care at that moment.

Once full, Mai returned to her room and settled onto her bed to start reading her new book when her phone rang.

 **Twins — home is calling you! Accept or reject?**

Mai had a bad feeling she knew exactly who it was going to be.

"Hello?" she said tentatively.

"Mai, it's Luella, but Gene and Martin are here too. You're on speaker phone. Noll is being such a bore. He won't tell us anything, but he assured us that you would be more than willing to!"

Mai groaned.

"Of course I will…"

* * *

"I can't believe he did that to you," Masako said the next day as they walked to the canteen for lunch.

"One day, he'll go too far and I'll actually murder him," Mai joked.

"And I will be there to help you hide the body."

"What are best friends for?"

They collected their food and started towards their usual table when Mai remembered.

"I promised to sit with Yasuhara today," she said.

"Huh? But the twins were going to sit with us today," Masako whined. "You're ditching us?"

"I promised him," Mai said. "Because I couldn't hang out with him yesterday. He was really down on Saturday too, I felt bad."

Masako gave her a sympathetic look.

"Twins won't be happy."

"I can't make everyone happy," Mai complained.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll tell them where you are."

"Thanks."

Masako indicated with her head that someone was behind Mai.

Mai turned and spotted Yasuhara.

"See you later," she added to Masako, then walked over to Yasuhara.

"Hey," he said. "What do you want?"

"I promised to sit with you, didn't I?"

"I would have thought you'd be too busy snogging that idiot."

Mai pursed her lips.

"Do you want me to sit with you or not?"

"If you want."

Mai rolled her eyes, but followed after Yasuhara to a free table. She sat with her back to where she knew the twins and Masako would be sitting. She did not want to see the glares that she could feel on her back.

"Did you have fun yesterday?"

"Yes, I did," Mai replied. "What did you get up to?"

"Nothing really."

"Really?"

"Did some reading…"

"Anything good?" Mai asked.

"Mostly just nasty internet forums."

"Why were you reading nasty internet forums?"

Yasuhara shrugged.

"Trying to get the answer to a question and the internet is a dark, dark place…"

Mai thought about all the horrible things she had seen promoted in fanfiction.

"Yeah, it can be," she agreed. "People hide behind anonymity a lot."

Yasuhara hummed and returned to his food.

* * *

Mai honestly expected the backlash from her lunchtime escapades to be a lot worse. Oliver had not deigned to message her and Masako had been impartial to the whole thing from the start.

But Eugene had texted her.

 **Eugene: I know it's none of my business, but please don't get too friendly with him. I don't want him to hurt you too. Don't be alone with him at all, ever! Please Mai, promise me you won't…**

Mai thought his text came across with somewhat pleading tone.

 **Mai: I am not taking sides, Gene. If he needs my help I will give it to him! Just like if you asked for it, I would give it to you too.**

 **Eugene: Then help me by staying away.**

 **Mai: I can't do that. He's my friend too.**

Eugene did not reply after that. Mai could not help but think that it was slightly odd. Two weeks ago, Eugene had been wanting to talk to Yasuhara and try and sort it out. Now he was warning her away from him?

What had changed?

Growling in frustration, Mai locked her phone and refused to look at it for the rest of the evening.

Only her friends were not finished.

The following day, Oliver cornered her in a corridor and repeated the same advice. Mai repeated her answer and stalked off to Physics.

"Have you considered that maybe you should listen?" Masako asked as the class entered.

"Oh not you as well," Mai huffed. "I can't just ignore a friend who is obviously hurting!"

"But the way the twins talk about him, it's like he's done something really bad…"

"Yeah, but neither of them will say what? Am I just supposed to take their word because I've known them longer?" Mai questioned, her voice laced with anger.

"Do you really think they are lying?"

"No, but I have no reason to think Yasuhara is either. I am not picking sides."

Masako looked like she wanted to argue, but the teacher called the class to order, so she let the topic drop.

* * *

On Thursday night, Mai was interrupted from her English homework by her phone ringing.

 **Masako is calling you! Accept or reject?**

Mai accepted the call and immediately held the phone away from her ear.

"Mai! You'll never guess what?"

"What?"

"They accepted me!" Masako squealed.

"Oh wow! Masako, that's amazing!"

"Because I'm new, they didn't want to give me a major part. But I am understudying one of the main characters and then have my own smaller part!"

"That's…" Mai was speechless.

"I know! I can't believe it. I've been pinching myself ever since I got the call!"

"When do you start?"

"After Christmas, every weekend until we perform at Easter."

"Let me know when tickets are on sale," Mai said. "I will be first in line!"

"I don't know if I get free tickets, but if I do, you will be the first person after my parents!"

"You're the best!"

"I know," Masako said, still giggling.

Mai sank back in her chair, glad something good had happened this week.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well. You all know what's gonna happen next chapter right? Enjoy this while it lasted because... Yeah...**

 **Please review!**


	26. Part 2: Chapter 26

**WARNING: Suicide.**

* * *

Saturday found Mai and Yasuhara working together in the dining room. Mai was whizzing through her biology homework, while Yasuhara stared out of the window, pen in hand.

"Mai?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you a serious question?"

"Sure?"

Mai put her pen down and waited for him to speak.

"Say you'd done something bad. Like really bad," he began.

"Like murder-bad?"

"Yeah, for argument's sake, let's say murder." Yasuhara took a breath. "Say you have murdered someone but there is no evidence. Only you know you did it."

"Okay?"

"How do you live knowing you did something like that?"

Mai's eyes widened.

"You really did mean serious huh…"

Mai bit her lip and frowned.

"Well I can't really make it up to the person I murdered or apologise to them," Mai said, thinking outloud. "And saying sorry to their family isn't really going to help."

She hummed, deep in thought.

Yasuhara watched her carefully.

"I guess I would try and learn from the mistake?" Mai mumbled, her voice weak. "But I can't imagine myself doing something like that. Even if it was accidental murder—"

"That's manslaughter."

"Yeah, I mean I'd feel guilty as hell, but I guess I'd just have to learn to live with that and make the most of the rest of my life." She shrugged. "That's not helpful, is it?"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I didn't expect a great answer."

"Cheers," Mai muttered sarcastically. "Nice to know you have so much faith in me!"

Yasuhara laughed reluctantly.

"I meant that you are too good to be able to get into that mindset. I doubt you've hurt anyone ever!"

"I have," Mai insisted. "But I tend to fight with words, not fists." She held up a hand. "I'm not exactly built for fighting."

"No one is built for fighting," Yasuhara countered. "It's about using what you've got against your opponent."

"Yeah alright Mr Martial Arts," Mai said.

"Hardly," Yasuhara said, rolling his eyes. "I quit karate years ago."

"How come?"

"I got bored of it. I only started in the first place because of my Dad. It was kind of expected, you know?"

Mai nodded. She wanted to question how Oliver had managed to land a hit at all, but thought it best not to bring up that fight when Yasuhara was not in the best of spirits.

"I could teach you some things," Yasuhara said suddenly. "Like how to escape a few holds."

Mai was taken aback.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's quite easy."

He jumped up, a keen expression spread over his face.

Mai stood up and moved around the table.

"Okay, so grab my wrist," Yasuhara instructed. "Really tight."

Mai complied, squeezing Yasuhara's wrist as hard as she could.

"Okay, so I want to escape right? So I twisted my hand inwards," he demonstrated as he spoke, "And then if my attacker is holding really tight so to get leverage I put my elbow towards yours and then," his wrist was forced out of Mai's hand, "I'm free!"

"No way can I do that!"

"Do you want to try?"

"Yeah."

Mai held her arm out and let Yasuhara take hold of it.

"So I twist it," Mai said as she moved. "Then…"

"Elbow to elbow," Yasuhara reminded.

Mai did as instructed and broke free of Yasuhara's grip.

"I did it!"

Mai bounced on the spot.

"Do it again."

She held out her other wrist. Yasuhara chuckled, but complied. They practiced the move a few more times before moving on to another hold.

"So strangle me."

"Steady on," Mai teased. But she placed her hands around Yasuhara's neck. "I hope no one walks in on us now."

"So I bring both hands up inside of yours and twist them out, like so. Now that might not always work, especially if your attacker is really strong. So in that case you aim for their throat, or the side of their neck. Or their nose, or eyes…"

"Anything sensitive?" Mai summarised.

"Yeah."

They practiced that a few times before returning to the table.

"I mean I can't promise it'll save you but it might help," Yasuhara mumbled.

"If all else fails, I will kick them in the balls and or ovaries," Mai declared.

"Yeah. Look, I'm gonna return my stuff to my room before dinner," Yasuhara said. "I'll see you later."

"Okay."

Mai watched him go before finishing off the piece of homework she had started. Yasuhara had the right idea, she did not want food stains on her books. She packed up and returned to her room.

* * *

John had been busy with end of term coursework on Monday night, so he requested that they played table tennis on Tuesday. Mai accepted this proposal and so, come Tuesday evening, they found themselves battling away.

With only two weeks of term left, the common room was a lot emptier than usual due to end of term tests and extra homework for the years with January exams.

Which meant that, apart from a few first years watching TV, John and Mai had the common room to themselves.

"Hey, have you spoken to Yasuhara recently?" John asked at the end of their third game.

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you know if he's moving schools?"

"He hasn't mentioned it, why?" Mai asked, confused.

"Only the way he spoke to me this morning - we bumped into each other in the bathroom - he made it sound like he wouldn't be seeing me again."

"Maybe it's because the holidays were coming up?" Mai suggested.

John frowned, unconvinced.

"I think he's going through a rough time," John said after a while. "I'll try to keep an eye on him."

"I thought the same thing," Mai admitted. "What did he say to you, exactly?"

"He thanked me for being kind to him and stuff, it was odd. It sounded like he was making a speech almost, like he'd rehearsed what he wanted to say."

"I'll try and talk to him."

"Thanks. I know you're closer to him than I am, maybe you can get through and find out what's bothering him."

"Yeah, maybe."

But Mai somehow thought that she would not manage it.

Nevertheless, that night she texted him.

 **Mai: Hey, John said you were acting weird earlier, are you okay?**

 **Yasuhara: What did he say?**

 **Mai: That you were thanking him and stuff? What was all that about?**

 **Yasuhara: Oh, that! I just wanted him to know I appreciated his friendship. I realised I sort of took him for granted and didn't want him to think I did so…**

 **Yasuhara: Talking of which, I want you to know I am grateful for what you've done. I know going against your friends isn't exactly easy.**

 **Mai: Wow, you really are being soppy! You sure you're okay?**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, I'm fine. But thanks for asking :)**

Mai chose to leave the conversation there, not entirely convinced. John was right, Yasuhara had seemed different lately. Less defensive, which she appreciated, but more… She was not sure of the right word.

Yet only ten minutes later, Yasuhara texted again.

 **Yasuhara: Um, I need your help with something, if you can.**

 **Mai: What is it?**

 **Yasuhara: I need to speak to Gene. I don't want to fight Oliver, or upset anyone, but I need to say a few things to him.**

 **Mai: I don't know, I don't think he wants to talk to you right now. Maybe leave it until after the Xmas holidays? Things might have calmed down by then.**

 **Yasuhara: Okay.**

Mai frowned. There had been no fight in him whatsoever.

Defeated.

That was the right word, Yasuhara was acting as if defeated. Mai only hoped the Christmas holidays really let the dust settle.

* * *

Friday lunchtime was a disaster.

Mai and Masako had just sat down to eat when the twins joined them. They ate in silence for a few minutes before someone else loomed over their table.

"Gene, I need a word."

It was Yasuhara.

Oliver made to stand up, but Eugene beat him to it.

"Go away."

Oliver paused, half stood up, looking between the two.

"I just, please. I need to say something and—"

"I don't care. Go away!" Eugene said, louder. Other students glanced around.

"Gene—"

"Just fuck off! Haven't you done enough already? Look!" Eugene held up a hand and undid the cuff of his shirt, revealing a sickly thin arm. "You did this! You have hurt everyone and I don't care what you have to say!"

"I'm sorry—"

"Fuck off!" Eugene shouted.

The entire canteen was staring. Mai's mouth fell open.

Yasuhara nodded, shoulders sagging and eyes fixing on the floor. The reflection on his glasses hid his facial expression as he walked away, but Mai would not have been surprised if he was crying.

Eugene sat back down and there was a moment of silence before everyone began chatting about what had just happened.

But the table where Masako, Mai, Oliver and Eugene sat remained silent for the entire meal. No one daring to speak.

* * *

Mai went to bed early that night. She and Masako had talked for far too long about Eugene's outburst and Yasuhara daring to approach.

Her only comfort was the fact that the Christmas holidays were a week away. Of course, this also meant she had to revise for her January mock exams. But right now, she would take revision over drama any day.

She curled up under her duvet with the book that Oliver had bought her the previous Sunday. It was a fantastic read and she had even started considering potential fanfiction plots. What if the main character had died at that one point…? What if his best friend had died instead? What if… What if… What if…

Mai did not remember dozing off.

She woke to find her bedside lamp still on and her book closed over her hand.

"Oops," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. She grabbed her bookmark and saved her place. "What on earth is the time?"

She poked the button the side of her phone.

"One? Eugh. Ooh, text…"

She unlocked the device and waited for the message to load. Her phone, like her brain, was slow to react.

 **Yasuhara: Hi Mai, I realise that things have been hard on you lately and that has been my fault.**

Mai frowned, but read on.

 **Yasuhara: Oliver has been warning you against me for good reason. I hurt Gene. I hurt Gene badly and there is nothing I can do to make it up to him.**

An empty void began to fill Mai's stomach.

 **Yasuhara: On the night of Masako's party we went back to his house. Everything was fun and good and then he said 'stop'. And I didn't.**

Bile rose in Mai's throat and she fought to swallow it back down.

 **Yasuhara: I didn't listen. I don't know why I didn't listen but I didn't. I raped him. I am a despicable human being and I can't live with myself knowing I hurt someone I care for so much.**

"Oh shit…"

 **Yasuhara: Which is why I want to thank you for your kindness in the last few weeks. You are too nice and I want you to know I have the highest opinion of you. You can go on to do anything you want. Thank you.**

The timestamps on these texts read sometime after eleven.

"Fuck. Shit. What do I do?"

Mai fell out of bed and scrambled to her feet.

"I can't go into the boys' dorms," she said.

Then realised how stupid that was.

"John. John will help."

She found his number and dialled while pulling on her slippers.

"Hello?" John's bleary voice reached Mai's ears and she sighed in relief.

"You need to check on Yasuhara. I think he's doing something stupid."

"What?"

"Go and bash down Yasuhara's door!"

Mai left her room at a sprint.

"Why?" John asked, still confused.

"Just do it!"

"Okay…"

Mai bounded down the flights of stairs five at a time. She swung around the newel and down the corridor.

She paused as she came to the entrance to the boys' dorms.

It was forbidden to go past this point.

"What am I thinking…"

Yasuhara could be…

"Where is his room?" she demanded down the phone.

"First floor."

The boys' dorm was a mirror of the girls', so Mai had no issue navigating. She lept up the stairs and spotted John.

He was knocking politely and whispering Yasuhara's name.

But now was no time for politeness.

Mai pushed John aside and hammered on the door.

"Mai! You'll wake people up!"

"I don't care! He might be dead!"

"What?" John sounded shocked.

"He sent me a text. I think he tried to..."

She banged on the door, unable to finish the thought.

"Yasuhara! Wake up and answer this!"

"I'll go get the Matron," John mumbled.

Mai was barely aware of him running off. She kicked the door hoping it would be louder, but it resulted in a sore toe.

"I have to get in."

Mai backed away then ran forwards, jamming her shoulder against the door. It didn't budge an inch.

She tried again.

And again.

"Miss Taniyama, what are you doing?! This is the boys' dormitories!"

"Matron! Please you have to open this door I think he's tried to do something stupid!"

"It's true," John said. "We've been knocking for ages, he should have woken up by now."

She frowned but pulled her keys out of her dressing gown pocket. The Matron stepped past Mai and knocked.

"Yasuhara? I'm coming in now, okay?"

She unlocked the door, but Mai forced her way past and into Yasuhara's room. It was immaculate, like a show home.

Yasuhara was lying on his bed.

His eyes were closed. His lips were purplish blue. His mouth had drool escaping from the side. His skin was deathly pale.

"Yasuhara!" Mai shouted.

She rushed to his side, feeling for a pulse.

His body was still warm.

"Call an ambulance," Mai begged over her shoulder. But John had already dialled '999'. "He has a pulse, it's weak but I can feel it."

"Yasuhara, can you hear me?" the Matron asked. "We need to put him in the recovery position."

Mai's limbed worked on autopilot, helping the Matron manoeuvre Yasuhara onto his side. She could not hear John's words as he spoke to the operator. She could not hear the Matron's words either.

Mai glanced around, looking for any idea of what he had done. But everything was so tidy. She crept over and looked into the bin.

"Pills."

Her hand reached in of its own accord and picked one of the empty blister packs up.

 _Paracetamol._

She picked another.

 _Temazepam._

And another.

 _Ibuprofen._

"Sleeping pills and painkillers," Mai summarised.

"He still has a pulse."

"I'm going to go and wait outside for the ambulance," John said.

"Mai, I am sorry to have to ask this of you, but can you remain here. I need to wake another of the staff to help deal with this."

"Of course."

The Matron followed after John, leaving Mai alone with Yasuhara.

She watched the minute rise and fall of his chest.

"You idiot. How was this going to solve anything?"

Of course, Yasuhara did not reply.

"I hate you right now."

Still no reply.

"What were you even thinking?"

But she knew what he had been thinking: who would want to associate with a rapist?

Her eyes were drawn to a piece of paper next to his body. Frowning, Mai picked it up.

 **Eugene**

It was a small envelope.

Mai wanted to open it but knew its contents were not for her.

"He's in here," a voice from outside the room said.

Mai shoved the envelope in her pocket, ensuring its safety from the teachers.

She was pushed aside as the paramedics worked. John pulled her into a loose embrace. The contact felt weird, but she did not push him away.

Then together, they watch Yasuhara be carried away.

* * *

 **End of Part 2...**

 **Please review.**


	27. Part 3: Chapter 27

Part 3

* * *

Yasuhara did not expect to wake up again.

So when he did, he groaned, turned over and tried to slip away again.

It took almost a week for him to become fully conscious. After that he was inundated by nurses and doctors and psychologists. He wanted nothing more than for them all to go away.

"We'll talk to you again soon, Osamu."

"You have everything to live for!"

"You're getting stronger every day."

None of them knew the truth.

Yasuhara wondered bitterly that if they did, if they had known what he had done, whether they would still have saved him. Who wanted to be the person that saved the rapist after all?

"Good morning, Osamu, how are you today?" a nurse carrying a tray asked. "I have your breakfast here."

What was this one's name? Yasuhara was sure that she had told him her name, but he could not remember. Cathy? Kelly?

"Thanks."

"Are you feeling up to visitors today? We've had several calls from people wanting to visit you?"

"Did my Dad call?"

The nurse's smile dropped.

"No, I'm afraid not. But your friends have!"

"Fine, do whatever. I don't care."

"Okay," the nurse said, unaffected by Yasuhara's tone. "I'll be back soon to collect your tray."

Yasuhara stared down at the food. As if hospital food was going to make him feel any less suicidal.

He ate it anyway. It was easier than arguing.

"What is your name?" he asked the nurse when she came back.

She smiled graciously.

"Joy."

"Like in pokemon?"

She giggled.

"You said that last time."

"I did?"

"Don't worry, you were kind of delirious at the time."

"Oh."

Yasuhara adjusted his glasses.

"I'll try not to forget this time."

"It's okay," Joy said. "Maybe I should dye my hair pink to remind you."

Yasuhara smiled in spite of himself.

Joy picked up the empty tray and made to turn away, but then seemed to remember something.

"Your friend is turning up in an hour or so, so if you want to have a shower beforehand I can help you if you want."

"Um…"

"Or if you want to do it alone, it's just on the right there, there are panic buttons if you need help." She pointed to the end of the ward.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Shout if you need me."

Joy started walking away.

"Hey, Nurse Joy?"

"Yes?" She turned back.

"Do you have a cousin or something called Jenny who's a police officer?"

Joy laughed.

"No, I don't I'm afraid."

"Shame."

It took Yasuhara a long time to get out of bed. His body was weak and reluctant to comply with his wishes. He shuffled to the showers and pulled off the hospital gown.

The hot water scolded his skin, but Yasuhara did not turn the temperature down. He was reminded of some theory had read about once. Where lonely people look longer showers to simulate physical comfort.

He did not know if it was true. But the shower did make him feel better.

He took so long showering and dressing that he only just made it back to bed before Joy was back to check if he still wanted his visitor.

Yasuhara could not bring himself to push anyone else away, so agreed and waited to see who would come.

It was Mai.

"I'll pull this shut, give you two some privacy," Joy said as she grabbed the curtain.

Mai smiled at the nurse until she left, then her face soured and she looked around at Yasuhara.

"Hello," he said.

"I don't understand."

Yasuhara had somewhat expected that. He waited for Mai to go on.

"I want an explanation."

"Of what?"

Mai pursed her lips as she searched for the right words.

"I cannot reconcile the you I thought I knew with the you that did that thing to Gene." Mai took a deep breath. "How could the Yasuhara that taught me to defend myself and helped me with homework and made stupid jokes while playing table tennis do something like that?"

Yasuhara could not maintain eye contact. He stared down at his feet.

"So I want to know why you were kicked out of your last school."

Yasuhara was taken aback.

"W-What?"

"I want to know why you were kicked out."

Mai stared at Yasuhara with such intensity that he thought he might be burnt alive. He wondered if she had taken lessons from Oliver.

"I was not kicked out."

"What?"

"It's a long story."

"Visiting hours aren't over for a while," Mai retorted.

"Fair enough," he admitted and took a deep breath. "I guess it started when I came out to my best friend at the time. His name was Chris. I was… Fourteen? Maybe fifteen? Year ten, I think. He thought I was joking."

Mai's face remained blank as Yasuhara spoke.

"Then one day he caught me reading about being gay online. He was quite religious and was of the school of thought where homosexuality is a sin. I don't blame him, his parents brought him up that way. There were quite a lot of people like that at my old school. He told me to stop it. So I closed the webpage down and tried to pretend that I was just curious about it."

Yasuhara could feel his body shaking.

"But he told one of my teachers. A woman called Miss Avey. She was a relatively new teacher who shared Chris's opinion on homosexuality. She decided that she would help me. She wanted to cure me of my sin."

Mai's mouth fell open a bit, but she did not interrupt.

"She made me come and see her after school. It started off with lectures and stuff… Until one day she… She touched me."

Yasuhara suddenly realised that tears were running down his face. He wiped them away, only for them to replaced within seconds.

"She was a teacher so I had to do what she said and…"

"How long did it go on for?" Mai asked.

"Last summer. I told my Dad. I couldn't deal with any more. But he… He told me I was a disgrace. Pulled me out of school, had me take my GCSEs privately. He was worried about me causing a scandal for him considering his job at the embassy and all. And as an added bonus, he thinks being gay is wrong too."

"So he packed you off to boarding school?"

"Far away enough that I wouldn't be causing an issue."

"Well shit."

Yasuhara almost laughed at Mai's exclamation.

"That about summarises my life."

Mai bit her lip.

"You're a victim too," she mumbled.

"What? No, I'm not," Yasuhara said, shaking his head.

"That woman hurt you!"

"I should have stopped her, it was—"

"Don't you dare say that it was your fault," Mai spat. "Would you let Gene say that about what you did?"

Yasuhara opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again.

"No, I didn't think so," Mai went on. "You need to tell the people here about that. They'll be able to help you."

"Yeah, maybe."

"No, you have to," Mai insisted. Yasuhara thought she sounded a little like a mother talking to her child. "Promise me you'll tell them."

"Sure."

"Yasuhara?"

"Fine, I promise."

"Good."

There was a short silence that Yasuhara broke.

"Mai… Um, I don't know if you know but… Who found me?"

Mai's face paled.

"I d-did."

Yasuhara's stomach dropped.

"But how?"

"I woke up in the middle of the night and found your text… I woke John up and…"

"I'm sorry."

"It was horrible." Tears erupted from Mai's eyes. "You were so pale and barely breathing and…"

"I'm sorry Mai. I'm so sorry."

Mai wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"I've been phoning the hospital every day to find out how you were but no one would tell me because I wasn't family. I even tried to pretend to be your sister but the man I spoke too recognised my voice... "

"How's John?"

"Dealing with it. I didn't tell him the contents of your text, he doesn't know about that bit."

Yasuhara nodded, taking in this information.

"I kept crying at school," Mai admitted. "But I couldn't talk to anyone about it. I couldn't tell Masako or John... And the twins… Well…"

Mai hiccoughed and wiped her eyes again.

"How… How is Gene?"

"Really skinny. He's…" Mai took a deep breath, trying to control herself. "He's suffering from an eating disorder and I didn't notice. I did notice but I didn't think anything of it… I lose weight when I'm stressed and I thought it was just A Levels being hard and…"

Tentatively, Yasuhara held his arms out to Mai. She fell into them and sobbed onto his shoulder. Soon the corner of his shirt was soaked with Mai's tears.

"Oliver's helping him," Mai mumbled. "He's going to be okay."

Yasuhara felt something inside him relax. Mai cried for a while longer. Yasuhara patted her back awkwardly until she was done. Eventually, she sat upright and grabbed her rucksack.

"Talking about Gene… I… I found this," Mai said, pulling an envelope from her bag.

Yasuhara recognised his own handwriting on the front.

"I almost gave it to him but… I didn't. Do you want me to?"

Yasuhara reached out and took it from Mai.

"Maybe not…"

"What does it say?" Mai asked.

Yasuhara opened it and pulled out the sheet of paper. He unfolded the paper and turned it around so Mai could read it.

 **Dear Gene,**

 **I do not know words strong enough to express how truly sorry I am for what I did.**

 **Please live a long and full life knowing that I can no longer get to you.**

 **All my love,**

 **Yasuhara**

Fresh tears ran down Mai's face.

"But it's not true anymore. I'm still here," Yasuhara muttered.

"I'm glad you are."

"Thanks," he said gruffly.

Mai appeared to steel herself before speaking again.

"I think you should talk to Gene."

Yasuhara frowned.

"Why?"

"I think he deserves to know," Mai said. "And… Well after that argument you guys had in the canteen, a few people gave him a hard time when they found out you were in hospital. Matron put around the story that you were just really ill but… Well, you know how rumours work."

"Oh…"

"I can ask him to come in if you want?"

"Okay. But if he doesn't want to, don't push it."

"I won't," Mai agreed. "I have something else for you."

"Hmm?"

"I told the Matron I was visiting. She gave me this," Mai said, pulling a carrier back from her rucksack. "She picked up a few bits from your room, thought it might help."

Yasuhara took the carrier bag and looked inside. He spotted his mobile, charger, a few pieces of clothing and a large bar of chocolate.

"Are you going back to the boarding house?" he asked.

"Yeah, I have to pack before I leave."

"Thank her for me."

"Will do," Mai promised.

"Where are you going for Christmas?"

"Madoka's house."

"Who?"

"Friend of Luella's," Mai said. "She offered when she found out I'd have to go back to a home otherwise and well… Luella vouched for her so…"

"Is she nice?"

"Yeah, she's going to tease me rotten about Oliver but she's not so bad. She is also used to Luella's matchmaking habits…"

"So you can suffer together?"

"Something like that. From what I gather, Madoka and this guy called Lin have been dating for ages, but haven't told Luella because Madoka likes to see what she's going to come up with next."

Mai laughed a little.

"But if Luella gets too annoying," Mai went on. "I can just out Madoka and Lin and that takes the pressure off me and Oliver."

"Yeah I can imagine that would shift the conversation," Yasuhara said. He looked away as he asked, "How are you and Oliver?"

"I… We… He knows I know now. Which makes it easier. He wasn't pleased when I said I was coming here but I needed answers."

"Is he cross?"

"No. I think he understood that."

"Are you seeing him over Christmas?"

"Well duh. Luella has invited Madoka and Lin round every other day I swear… Which by extension means me. I'm half convinced she suggested I stay with Madoka as part of another of her schemes."

Yasuhara chuckled.

"I should probably head off soon, packing and all," Mai said. "But you've got your phone now, so text me if you want, yeah?"

"Yeah. Um, Mai?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming."

"No problem."

Her smile gave him a glimmer of hope; maybe not everyone would hate him.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well we've finally made it to part 3! If I'm honest with you, I don't like part 3, I don't think it's as well written... But I think you might kill me if I just stopped on the previous chapter... So you'll just have to put up with my crappy writing a bit longer! Please review!**


	28. Part 3: Chapter 28

"Your father is visiting you."

The words alone filled Yasuhara with dread. But despite that fact, he could not refuse the visit.

Because there was a chance, a small one admittedly, that his suicide attempt would have made his father reconsider everything, that his father would accept him for who he was and love him and…

He doubted it. But there was hope.

Yasuhara showered and began to dry himself. But he could not bring himself to put his clothes on yet. So he showered again.

Once dressed, he begged the use of a razor so he could shave. His father would not approve of him looking unkempt. The nurses had been reluctant to agree at first, so Joy had said she would supervise him.

While he understood their concerns, he hated being treated like he was going to do something stupid any minute. He did not think he had the energy to try again.

Joy asked all about Mai as he rid his chin of the patchy stubble it had grown over the last week. Yasuhara gave a brief account of their friendship.

"We have a table tennis table in the activity room," Joy told him after he shared the fact that he and Mai sometimes played together. "Maybe you two can play next time, if you're feeling up to it."

"Would I be allowed?"

"I don't see why not."

"Maybe then."

He gave a half smile.

Yasuhara washed his face and inspected for any stray hairs that he had missed. Once he was satisfied that his chin was smooth, he handed the razor back to Joy.

He dressed in the pyjamas that the Matron had given him and returned to his bed to wait. Joy had given him a puzzle book the previous night to keep him occupied, but he could not concentrate on it now.

His body jittered, hands fidgeting and legs twitching; anxiety infiltrating every fibre of his being.

He wondered if his mother and sister would come to.

Joy had not mentioned them, but that did not mean they would not come. His shaking hands raked through his hair, trying to make it look smart as if that would help the situation.

"... just through here. Would you like the curtain's drawn?"

Yasuhara's head snapped up. His father was here.

"Please," his father said.

A cold shiver ran down Yasuhara's spine. He took a deep breath.

His father took a seat and waited for Joy to close the curtains.

"Hi, Dad."

"The woman I spoke to on the phone told me something about you doing something stupid," his father began, "But you wouldn't be so foolish as to attempt suicide, would you, Osamu?"

Yasuhara gulped.

"No, of course not," he lied. "It was just an accident."

"I thought so. These busy bodies coming up with ludicrous theories. They've told me they want to keep you here over the Christmas break."

"Yeah."

"Now about you quitting Mathematics," his father went on. "I am not impressed with this decision of yours. If it was too hard—"

"It was not that, I was not enjoying the course and thought it would be better to focus my studies on the subjects more prevalent to my university studies."

"I see. I am still not impressed."

"I'm sorry."

"I had to cancel two meetings to see you today," his father told him.

"Mum could have come…"

His father chuckled darkly.

"Oh no, I didn't bother to worry your mother about this. You know what she's like. She'd get very upset knowing you were ill. She is not over your decision to move to boarding school."

Yasuhara bit his tongue to prevent himself from speaking.

"How is—"

"Your mother is doing very well otherwise," his father interrupted. "As is your sister. Her grades are exemplary and her harp lessons are coming along nicely."

"Good. I'm glad they are both well. What are you going to tell them—"

"About why you aren't home for Christmas?"

Yasuhara nodded.

"That you are staying with a friend to revise for January exams."

"But I don't have any."

"They don't know that," his father said with a force smile. "Nor do they need to."

Yasuhara nodded again.

"How long have you got?"

"My train is in," he checked his watch, "half an hour. I should probably head off. I hoped to get some food before returning home."

"Okay."

"Get better, boy."

"Will do, bye."

Yasuhara's father walked away without a backwards glance.

Yasuhara did not realise he was crying until Joy came over and asked if he wanted his curtain open again. He lifted his fingers to his face and wiped away a tear.

"Maybe later," she suggested gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Yasuhara shook his head, wriggled under the duvet and turned his back to her. He listened to her footsteps as she walked away.

* * *

 **Yasuhara: Any chance you can visit again?**

 **Mai: Sure, when?**

 **Yasuhara: All the time? Any time? I have my first appointment tomorrow morning with a therapy counsellor person… Maybe after that?**

 **Mai: I'll see what I can do.**

Remembering that Mai did not hate his guts did not fill the gaping hole in Yasuhara's heart, but it helped.

He broke a row of chocolate from the bar that the Matron brought him and bit off a piece the end of the row. Instead of chewing, he savoured the flavour and tried to refocus on the crossword in front of him.

"Twelve across, assertion of opinions as truths," he read out. "Nine letters…"

He glanced at the letters he had already.

"Something, something, something, something, A, something, something, something, M."

"Dogmatism."

Yasuhara spun around on his bed to see Joy with his dinner.

"Thanks."

He filled in the word, ticked off the clue and sat up for his dinner.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better than before. I'm sorry for being rude."

"It's okay. You're allowed to be upset," Joy said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"He just… He doesn't believe any of my problems are real. And then instead of correcting him I just go along with what he says."

"Going against your parents is tough."

"He's going to lie to my mum and sister. He's just erasing this…"

"That doesn't make it any less real."

"But when I next see them… I'll have to pretend."

"What would happen if you told the truth?"

Yasuhara sighed. He tried to ponder the possibilities, but it exhausted him just thinking about it. Like pushing a boulder up a hill, only to find another peak to climb after that.

"He'd get angry. It's not worth it."

"I'm sorry," Joy said. "But you've got your first appointment with the counsellor tomorrow, haven't you?"

"Yeah." Yasuhara bite into a limp carrot. "Is it really going to help?"

"I haven't been here too long, but most of the patients I have spoken to thought it did."

"And the ones that didn't?"

"They explored other methods," she said. "It isn't the only way to help you, remember that."

Yasuhara ate another limp carrot. It did not taste like carrot at all, 'watery orange mush' would be more appropriate.

"I always thought hospital food being bad was a joke. Like, it couldn't be worse than school canteen food… But it really is…"

"Well, if the doctors agree, you will be allowed to go out on day trips."

"So I could go and get some real food," Yasuhara said, pretending to drool.

Joy laughed.

"Well, I have to go and hand out a few other dinners."

"Thanks again."

* * *

"Hello Osamu, my name is Dr Friskine, but you can call me James if you prefer."

"I prefer to go by my surname."

"Okay then, Yasuhara," Dr Friskine corrected, stroking his greying moustache. "Now, today's session is just going to be about working out how to help you best. So I want you to tell me a little about yourself."

"Like what?"

"What are your hobbies?"

"I… Don't really have any. I mean I play table tennis with a friend occasionally. But that's more to see them than actually play table tennis."

"That's fine," Dr Friskine said. "So you like socialising?"

"I guess…"

"What about movies? Music? Books?"

"I haven't seen anything recently," Yasuhara admitted. "But I'm not too fussy."

"Who is your best friend?"

This one had Yasuhara stumped. It certainly was not Chris. It could not be Eugene. He could not honestly say he had a 'best friend'. Did anyone he knew really try to get to know him beyond a superficial level?

"Maybe, Mai?"

"Tell me about her."

"She's tiny and brunette and a year younger than me."

"I see," Dr Friskine mused. "Why do you like her? Why do you two get on so well?"

"She's really nice?"

"Go on."

Yasuhara was starting to hate this. He balled his fists up and tried to think of something substantial enough.

"I help her out with History and she listens to my problems and we play table tennis together."

There it was, a summary of their entire friendship.

"Have you spoken to her since your attempt?"

"Yes, she came to see me," Yasuhara said.

"How was she?"

"Wanting answers of course." Yasuhara paused for a moment to think about his conversation with Mai. "And she told me to tell whoever was helping some things."

"Do you want to?"

"No."

"That's okay—"

"But I'm going to anyway, if you'll listen."

"Of course."

And so Yasuhara repeated his words from the previous day. His voice held an oddly mechanical quality to it. This time he felt no emotion. As if an empty cavern had opened up inside his chest where feeling should have existed.

He did not look at Dr Friskine as he spoke. Yasuhara stared at a point on the wall where the paint had chipped away, revealing pinkish grey brick underneath.

When he had finished recounting what he had told Mai, he went on to talk about Eugene.

"I met him when I moved schools," Yasuhara said. "He was gorgeous and kind and… I really liked him. And he liked me but…"

And now emotions returned. They seeped into every fibre of his being and froze him to the core. He could not move for fear that the sheer intensity would kill him.

He stopped breathing, lost in the icy pool of disgust that threatened to drown him.

"...hara? What happened?"

"Sorry." Yasuhara shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "I… I wasn't very good to him."

"Did you hit him?"

"No. I… I did verbal things."

He could not find the words. Someone had stolen the dictionary from his brain.

"Did you call him names?"

Yasuhara shook his head.

"Did you try to put him down at all?" Dr Friskine prompted.

"Kind of. Control. I…"

"You kept control of the relationship?"

Yasuhara nodded.

"And then I… I didn't listen… He said no and I… I didn't stop."

He could not say the word. His mouth could not form the 'r'.

"I see."

Dr Friskine made a few notes on his piece of paper.

"Will you still help me?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't we?"

"Because I… I hurt him."

"That doesn't matter, you need help too. Does Eugene have people helping him?"

"I don't really know. His brother won't let me near him. Mai tells me a few things but I don't know if he's getting professional help or not…"

"I see."

Yasuhara waited as Dr Friskine wrote a few more things down. The elderly man alternated between notes and stroking his moustache.

"Now have the doctors talked to you about antidepressants?"

"If they have I wasn't conscious enough to remember it."

"Okay, well I am going to have a word with them about it," he said. "Now I am going to see you again on Wednesday, same time. In the meantime, I will go and work out the best course of action to help you through this."

"Okay."

"But just before you go, as we're almost out of time, I want to know if you still feel suicidal?"

Yasuhara shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Okay, well if you started to feel that way now, what would keep you going? You don't have to answer straight away."

Yasuhara tried to think of a reason. His mind was blank until a single image floated across the abyss; brown eyes brimming with liquid and a quivering lip.

"Mai will cry again if I do. I don't want her to cry."

"Good, hold on to that. We'll finish here for today."

Yasuhara returned to his ward alone. A weight had been taken from shoulders.

"Ah! Yasuhara, you have a visitor waiting for you," Joy said as he entered the room.

"Is it Mai?"

"No it's—"

Yasuhara's mouth went dry. His body's warmth evaporated along with any chance of a jovial mood. It could not be. But no one else knew. None of the nurses knew to stop him.

And so a single word fell from Yasuhara's lips.

"Gene."

* * *

 **Author's note: oops cliffhanger... Please review!**


	29. Part 3: Chapter 29

"I'll shut the curtain," Joy said, sensing the tension. She hastened to do so and they both listened to her scurry away.

Yasuhara sat down on the side of his bed, unsure what to say, while Eugene waited at the end.

"Please, take a seat, if you want…" Yasuhara gestured to the chair. "Or, don't... I…"

"Mai told me you had something to say," Eugene muttered, folding his arms across his chest. Yasuhara tried not to stare, but it was hard to miss the pallor of his cheeks or how large his clothes looked.

"Oh. That. She told me I should."

"Well?"

Eugene huffed and looked away. A repetitive tapping reached Yasuhara's ears and he deduced that it was Eugene's foot.

And so, for the second time that day, Yasuhara recounted what he had told Mai about why he had left his previous school.

Eugene listened without interrupting, yet his foot ceased its tapping.

"So is this supposed to be some kind of excuse for what you did?"

"No! Never! Mai just told me to tell you and I never expected you to come here—"

"Right. Is that why you tried to kill yourself?" Eugene asked, making Yasuhara flinch. "Cowards way out?"

"I thought that if I was gone that you'd be able to live knowing I wasn't going to hurt you again," Yasuhara whispered.

"You know people at school assumed I'd made you do it because I yelled at you," Eugene accused.

"Mai mentioned it," Yasuhara said in a small voice.

He hunched his shoulders and wrapped his arms around himself.

"I stopped eating because of you."

"I know."

All Yasuhara could hear was Eugene seething.

"So what is it you want now? Hmm? Do you want me to forgive you? Am I supposed to feel sorry for you because you tried to kill yourself?"

Yasuhara winced. Eugene's anger was not unexpected or unjust, yet these bitter words cut through him like a scalpel.

"Would you prefer it if I'd succeeded?"

Eugene stepped back at that. His anger dissipated and was replaced by confusion.

"If I said 'yes', would you try again?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

Yasuhara looked around. Eugene was staring at him.

"You don't deserve death," Eugene said after a pause. "You should live with what you've done. If I have to live with it, so do you."

Yasuhara looked away but did not speak. A distant wish in the back of his mind existed where Eugene had just wished him dead. That would have given him a clear path ahead. A clear path that would end soon. But sweet, precious Eugene wanted him to suffer.

"Say something," Eugene demanded.

"I don't know what to say to you."

"What are you doing to do?"

"I don't know."

"I thought you were supposed to be intelligent," Eugene snapped. "Think of something."

"What am I supposed to do?" Yasuhara retorted. "Nothing I do is going to change that fact. No amount of counselling or therapy or drugs or anything is going to change what I did. Nothing short of a damn time machine is going to change it!"

Eugene stormed around the side of the bed. Yasuhara backed away, scrambling away from him. But Eugene was quicker.

He grabbed the collar of Yasuhara's T-shirt. With surprising strength and fuelled by anger, Eugene pulled him up and shoved Yasuhara into the nearby wall.

The air was knocked from Yasuhara's lungs.

"What are you supposed to do?" Eugene growled, glaring. "Because of me there is no evidence to put you behind bars. You have a fucking get out of jail free card right there. You could do anything! Anything! So instead of whining about it why don't you get off your arse and stop other people getting away with it! You wanted to be a lawyer didn't you? Well I've just found your fucking speciality!"

Eugene slammed Yasuhara into the wall once more before releasing him. He strode away without a backwards glance.

Yasuhara slid down the wall, body shaking. He had never imagined Eugene could act like that, especially when so frail from lack of proper nutrition. But, Yasuhara supposed, anger could have an amazing effect over the body when it wanted. And Eugene had every right to be furious.

Yasuhara did not know if it was a good thing that Eugene's fear had been replaced by anger. He hated both emotions. He wanted the kind, innocent young man that he first met back.

But he could not have that. That Eugene was gone. And nothing Yasuhara could do would ever change that fact. Yet Eugene was right. He could stop other people from getting away with such heinous acts though it would not make amends for his own mistake. Redemption was impossible. But a possible future lay in front of him now.

And unless he had a better idea any time soon, it was a future he would follow.

* * *

Yasuhara almost did not recognise Mai when she came in the next day.

"You've had a haircut," he pointed out.

"Yeah, do you like it?"

Mai wound her fingers through her considerably shorter hair. Last time Yasuhara had seen Mai, her hair had been shoulder length. Now it danced just below her chin, layered and fluffy looking.

"Yeah, it suits you," Yasuhara said.

Mai beamed from the end of the bed.

"I've been meaning to get it done for ages, but couldn't justify the cost really... And then Madoka said she was getting hers done and offered to pay and I was going to say no, but Madoka is really pushy when she wants to be."

"Really?"

"Yeah, once she has an idea in her head, there is no stopping her!" Mai perched on the end of Yasuhara's bed. "Go on, feel my hair, they used this fancy conditioner in it and it's so soft!"

Yasuhara, frowning, leant forwards and touched Mai's hair.

"It is," he agreed, amused.

"Oh, and Madoka has a cat, called Bailey. It's the colour of Baileys, you see. You know? The Irish cream drink? And he is massive, like, just a ginormous ball of fluff," Mai went on. She pulled her phone from her pocket. "I have a picture somewhere. Oh! Here it is!"

Mai turned her phone around to show Yasuhara a picture of her holding the giant fluffy cat.

"Adorable."

"He is! He's the friendliest cat I have ever met! And he loves Lin to bits!" Mai gushed. "Like, Lin comes round all the time, especially now they are off for the Christmas break. And Bailey just jumps up on top of him and sits on his shoulders or in his lap or—"

Mai interrupted herself with laughter.

Yasuhara waited expectantly for her to regain control of herself.

"Okay, I'm sorry," she managed between stifled giggles. "So Madoka is convinced she has to compete for Lin's attention with his keyboard."

"His keyboard?"

"Yeah! Like, he is always on his laptop or something typing things. No idea what, half of it is in foreign languages anyway," Mai explained. "And I think Madoka explained this to Bailey, who is very intelligent by the way, and now Bailey sits on Lin's keyboard all the time."

"Aren't laptops warm? Isn't that more likely?"

"He only started doing it after Madoka had a word with him. That cat is smart I swear."

Yasuhara did not look convinced.

"He is!" Mai insisted. "Anyway, Lin hates it when he does that and pushes him off, right?"

"Okay."

"So Bailey jumps back up and shoves his bum in Lin's face."

Mai dissolved into giggles again.

"Sounds like you're having fun," Yasuhara said.

"Yeah, Lin and Madoka are so cute around each other. Like Lin pretends to be all serious and stuff, but as soon as Madoka's back is turned he grins like a love sick idiot. I think he forgets I'm there sometimes."

Yasuhara just smiled in response, grateful that Mai was still treating him like a relatively normal person.

"I'm sorry I didn't come yesterday, did Gene visit you? I did mention it to him—"

"He did."

"And?"

"He listened to what I had to say." Yasuhara gulped. "Then he shoved me against the wall and told me I should become a lawyer and get other rapists convicted as the only way I can make amends."

Mai's mouth formed a little 'o'.

"Well, it's not the worst idea he's ever had." Mai paused then went on, "You know, when he was like fifteen or something, he borrowed Martin's car and drove it into a lake."

"He what?"

"Yeah, Oliver told me all about it. The car sank like a stone and Gene pretended it had been stolen. It was an old car and due to be replaced anyway but still…"

Yasuhara found himself laughing until he noticed the change in Mai's posture. Her frame had closed in on itself a little. He was about to ask Mai if was okay when she spoke.

"Did it help? Him seeing you?"

Yasuhara shrugged, the jovial mood suddenly gone.

"I don't know."

Mai looked away.

"Mai?"

She looked back to Yasuhara.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know if Gene is getting help? For his eating disorder and stuff?"

"He doesn't want to tell his parents," Mai said. "So Oliver did some googling and found this counsellor guy who does stuff over skype or whatever. But it turns out he actually lives relatively nearby, and offered to come and meet in a neutral place or something."

"But not on the NHS? They're paying for it?"

"No, this guy, Hirota? That might've been his name, Oliver did tell me… Well he works for the police, so that's his day job, but he does this pro-bono because he seen how many people are affected by crime and stuff." Mai shook her head. "I thought it sounded a bit weird, but Oliver met him and went all Sherlock psychoanalysis on him and deduced that he's just a lonely unmarried man staying occupied."

"I'm glad he's getting some sort of help."

"Me too," Mai said, smiling. "He's got Oliver for support so he's not alone."

"Yeah… Does Oliver like your new haircut?"

"He hasn't seen it yet," Mai admitted. "But funnily enough Madoka, Lin and I have been invited round for dinner tonight." Mai laughed. "Luella really doesn't understand the word subtle."

Mai pulled some chocolate from her bag and handed it over.

"Just in case you were getting low on supplies."

"Thanks," Yasuhara said, hiding it under his pillow. "Nurse Joy said we can play table tennis in one of the day rooms if you want?"

"They actually have a table tennis table here?"

"She said they did."

He shuffled out of bed and stuck his head out of the curtain.

"I can't see her," he mumbled.

"Don't you have a button or something?" Mai asked.

"That's for emergencies."

"So?"

Yasuhara rolled his eyes and almost laughed.

"I'll go find her," Yasuhara said. "Wait here."

He returned a few minutes later with instructions to find the day room. Mai followed him through the maze that was the hospital until they found the right place.

"I don't like hospitals," Mai mumbled.

"Most people don't."

"Reminds me of when Mum died."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Not your fault," Mai said before Yasuhara could even begin to feel bad. "Like I know it's a place where people get better but it's still…"

"Full of death."

"Yeah."

They were lucky. Despite the fact that the room contained plenty of people, the table tennis table was free.

"I was speaking to John last night," Mai said as they sent a ball back and forth between them to warm up. "Well, texting."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, he had an idea."

"About?"

"Well, I was thinking about how the Matron would be worried when you came back, so me and John were talking about it and he suggested that you two shared a room."

"Can we do that?"

"Well, the younger boys all have to roomshare, you only get your own room because you're a sixth former. I should be sharing but they ran out of rooms and the Matron likes me best, sort of."

"Oh," Yasuhara mumbled. "John would be willing to do that? Considering what he saw?"

"He suggested it," Mai said. "I would never have suggested it to him. But he offered and well, I think it would be a good idea. Support network and all that crap."

"John's a nice guy."

"He is. Like, far too nice."

"Bit like you really."

"Oh no," Mai said, laughing. "He is far, far nicer than me."

"Is that so?"

"Oh yes, because if I was as nice as him, I would let you win this upcoming game because you're the one in hospital and all. But instead, I am going to thrash you and then some."

"Oh really? You think I've lost my touch so easily?"

"I don't think you had a touch to begin with!"

"You're on!"

They began the match.

They were so loud and violent that soon a small crowd of other day patients were watching and cheering. It was a close game, but Mai won. She danced on the spot as Yasuhara fell to the grown in a dramatic death throe.

He was about to declare a rematch, when two younger boys pushed to the front and shouted how they wanted a go. Mai and Yasuhara handed over the bats like responsible grown-ups would and watched as the two boys tried to play.

They were bad.

Really bad.

"Here," Mai said. "Let me show you how."

The boys accepted her help. Soon they were both educating the boys on the finer points of table tennis. By the time they were done, the boys were almost able to hold a rally.

"Just keep practicing," Mai encouraged. She checked her phone and groaned. "I better get going soon."

"Let's head back then."

They waved goodbye to the boys and started their way back to Yasuhara's ward.

Then Mai's phone rang.

"Hey, Madoka? Yeah, I'm sorry, I got caught up. Um. I can make it back to yours surely. Pick me up? Oh." She mouthed the word 'shit'. "I'm at the hospital. No I'm fine. My friend is an inpatient. He's fine. He had an accident, he'll be out in no time. Just for observation yeah. Out front? Alright, see you in ten."

She hung up.

"Oh shi-sugar."

"Mai, we're in an empty corridor."

"Yes but nurses are scary and there might be small children lurking."

"She's picking you up?"

"Yeah, in ten minutes." Mai sighed. "I'll try and visit again, but it depends on the buses and stuff. They have stupid timetables over Christmas."

"It's fine, worst case scenario, just text me, yeah?"

"Will do." Mai laughed suddenly. "I might need help for my history mock in January if you want to help out with that."

"And here was me thinking you were visiting because you liked me," Yasuhara said.

"If I can kill two birds with one stone I will," Mai retorted as they entered his ward. "I'll see you soon."

She reached up and gave him a quick hug.

"Bye, Mai."

* * *

 **Author's note: I almost forgot to upload this... Oops.**


	30. Part 3: Chapter 30

Yasuhara did not expect to see Mai the very next day, but nevertheless, she turned up and thrust a tupperware container into his hands.

"Thank you?"

"Just. Don't."

Mai was shaking her head as she dumped her bag on the floor.

"What?"

"You have no idea. Just. No idea."

Mai flopped, face first, onto the end of his bed, squishing his legs.

"What happened?" Yasuhara asked.

Mai sat up and groaned.

"So you know I went with Lin and Madoka to the twins' house for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Well Madoka opened her fat mouth and let out that the reason we were late was because she had to collect me from the hospital."

"Oh."

"Yeah! So then they, and by 'they' I mean Luella, was asking why. So I tried to evade the question as best I could. Saying that my friend had an accident and was in to be watched for a few weeks."

"Okay?"

"And it's all fine until after dinner, when Luella insisted that the twins and I made cookies for my 'poor boarding friend stuck in hospital'. And obviously the twins knew who it was and…"

"What did you do?"

"Well I tried to say that you didn't like cookies! But Luella blew that suggestion out of the water, saying I shouldn't be modest. And the twins wouldn't back me up because they didn't want Luella to think they knew whoever it was, otherwise she would insist on visiting and just…"

"So you ended up making cookies for me?"

"Yes."

"She meant well!" Yasuhara said.

"Yes, but how much was she hurting Eugene in the process. Food and you in one foul swoop. He made me promise to tell you that he didn't spit in the mixture though."

Yasuhara did not know quite how to react to that.

"Do you want one?" he offered.

"Yeah alright, I had one last night, they are good."

Yasuhara opened the tub and offered it to Mai.

They ate in silence, neither knowing what to say to the other.

"This is the last time I can visit you until after Christmas," Mai revealed once she had finished her cookie. "I have to go shopping with Madoka tomorrow because she's left her shopping to the last minute. Then after that, the bus timetables are screwed until next week. But I'll come then, I promise!"

"Okay. You'll still text though, right?"

"I'll call you if you want!"

"Maybe, we'll see. I had my second counselling session earlier. I know the guy is meant to help but I find him so frustrating."

"How?"

"Like, everything he says is in this stupid calm voice and it's all common sense. Like I know that shit. I just…" He looked away, then grabbed another cookie.

"He's trying to help."

"I know."

"You're allowed to be frustrated by what he does, you're only human."

Yasuhara ignored her statement. He stared at his feet and tried to think of a new topic, he did not want to be reminded of his weaknesses right now.

"Did you otherwise have a nice evening?" he asked. Though talking about the twins caused him a pang of pain every time, he had no idea what else to talk about with Mai. Besides, they were a large part of her life. He could not ban the topic. It would not be fair on Mai. His pain was nothing to her happiness.

Maybe if he talked about them enough, it would get less painful.

"Yeah, I guess. Oliver didn't hate my hair so that was good."

"Didn't hate?"

"Well he didn't sneer at it or anything."

"Right…"

"Which reminds me, you're a boy, what the hell do I get a boy for Christmas?"

"Really?" Yasuhara deadpanned. "You're asking me for help about what to buy your boyfriend? A guy who literally hates my guts?"

"Well, yeah… I asked Gene and he just said I should wrap myself up, which wasn't helpful at all," Mai muttered, scowling.

"Well what do you normally get him?"

"We don't normally get each other presents, like our little group just never did that because of money and stuff," Mai said. "So instead we'd bring in food or whatever and just spend time together. But that didn't really happen this year."

"So what's changed?"

"Well, we're sort of going out now so I wanted to get him something… Nothing big, but just something."

"Okay, so what does he like?"

"Reading? Tea? Physics?"

"Physics book then," Yasuhara suggested. "Easy."

"But what if I get one he already has?"

"Text Gene and get him to check. Or ask Gene if he knows any that Oliver really wants."

"Hmm, could work. Gene is in Oliver's room enough, he doesn't like to hang out in his own room any more. Not quite sure why…" Mai fell silent as realisation dawned on her. "Oh I see why he doesn't want to be in his own room." Then she noticed the downward look on Yasuhara's face. "Shit. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Yasuhara looked down. When would he be free of these reminders of what he did?

"It's fine. They're your friends, I don't want you to stop talking about them just because of me."

"I know but… I'm sorry," Mai mumbled, her voice earnest. "I don't want to hurt you either."

"I'm fine, really."

* * *

 **Mai: I sort of half took your advice. I branched out and bought Oliver a fiction book.**

 **Yasuhara: Really?**

 **Mai: Yeah. I checked with Gene, he doesn't have it.**

 **Yasuhara: What did you get him?**

 **Mai: The Martian, it's written by a guy called Andy Weir and he worked at NASA, so it's actually scientifically accurate.**

 **Yasuhara: I can see him appreciating that.**

 **Mai: Yeah I might've read the first chapter before I wrapped it up, it looked really good.**

 **Yasuhara: Mai, it's supposed to be his present, not yours!**

 **Mai: I had to check the quality of the book!**

Yasuhara rolled his eyes, but laughed at his friend.

 **Yasuhara: When are you giving it to him?**

 **Mai: We're going around on Xmas Eve.**

 **Yasuhara: Have fun!**

* * *

 **Yasuhara: So did you give it to him?**

 **Mai: Yeah, but he didn't open it. I made him promise to text me once he's opened it.**

 **Yasuhara: Did he get you anything?**

 **Mai: He gave me an envelope that I'm not allowed to open until tomorrow.**

 **Yasuhara: What's in it then?**

 **Mai: I didn't open it!**

 **Yasuhara: Really?**

 **Mai: I peaked through a gap.**

 **Yasuhara: And?**

 **Mai: Hard to tell, looked like a piece of paper, but he had a very smug look on his face. So he obviously thought it was a good idea. I tried to quiz Gene on it, but he just pretended to zip his mouth up. What a git.**

* * *

Joy was not working on Christmas Day.

Yasuhara had not quite befriended the other nurses, which made for awkward conversation. So he stuck to his puzzle book.

Despite the nurses attempt to make the ward look Christmas-y, it felt cheap. The bright decorations did not cover the shiny magnolia walls and disinfectant smell.

Then again, it was not like his family celebrated Christmas religiously. In Japan, it was not a big deal, something for couples really.

Yet this knowledge did not comfort Yasuhara. He wanted to text Mai, but knew she would be busy with Lin and Madoka. It felt wrong to intrude on their celebrations, even if they were not a real family.

Fortunately for Yasuhara, Mai did not feel the same.

 **Mai: First of all, Merry Christmas!**

 **Mai: Secondly, YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHAT OLIVER GOT ME!**

 **Yasuhara: What? (Any merry xmas to you too!)**

 **Mai: GUESS!**

 **Yasuhara: Fits in an envelope… Gift card?**

 **Mai: BETTER!**

 **Yasuhara: Cash?**

 **Mai: BETTER THAN THAT!**

 **Yasuhara: Mai I literally have no clue.**

 **Mai: TICKETS TO GO TO THE HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR OMG I AM SO EXCITED THIS IS AMAZING!**

Yasuhara read the text and laughed. Yet the happiness he felt for his friend was twinged with jealousy. Not that he would want to go, but it would be nice to be able to do something so carefree and fun.

 **Yasuhara: He's taking you?**

 **Mai: Yup! Weekend after mocks are done! I've wanted to go ever since it opened but couldn't afford it or get there but he's arranged transport and everything!**

 **Yasuhara: Did he like his present?**

 **Mai: He stopped replying, but Gene texted me saying he's glued to it and already halfway through. So I think so?**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, sounds like it :) Are you having fun?**

 **Mai: Yeah, absolutely stuffed though! Madoka made so much food! And she agreed to drive me to the hospital tomorrow, so I'm bringing you leftovers!**

 **Yasuhara: Oh wow that sounds amazing please anything but this awful hospital food I can't take it any more!**

 **Mai: haha, I'll bring as much as I can!**

 **Yasuhara: You're the best!**

 **Mai: I try!**

* * *

True to her word, Mai appeared the next day with arms full of leftover Christmas Dinner. Yasuhara wolfed the food down like a man dying of hunger. The turkey slices, roast potatoes and vegetables were the best things he had eaten in weeks, despite the fact that they were cold.

"Madoka is a good cook," he said through a mouth full of stuffing.

"I know, right? And it turns out Lin can bake really well, so I have some cake for you in my bag. Because he doesn't like Christmas Pudding, he opted for Yule Log."

"That sounds amazing. Can they adopt me alongside you?"

"They aren't adopting me," Mai corrected with a slight frown. "I wish they were though. It'd be great."

"Yeah. It would," Yasuhara agreed, trying to keep the sadness from his voice.

Mai, as an orphan, could choose a new family. But he was stuck with the one he was born into. He swallowed down this bitter feeling and looked up at Mai as she spoke.

"Oh, I had an idea, would you like John to visit? To talk about maybe sharing a room? I just thought that maybe you guys might want to talk about it before agreeing?"

"That's not a bad idea," Yasuhara said. "But Nurse Joy said that I might be allowed out. Maybe we could coincide with that? Like… Go to a coffee shop? Or a pub? Or somewhere with food…?"

Mai giggled.

"Yeah, I'll talk to John and see when he's free." She pulled the cake from her bag and passed it over. Yasuhara took it, opened the container lid and sniffed.

"I have missed good food so much," Yasuhara moaned.

"I hadn't noticed."

"How long do you have?"

"Until Madoka texts me, she and Lin have gone for a walk."

"It was nice that they brought you."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "Best Christmas for a while to be honest."

"I'm glad."

"Me too. Masako is having fun in France too. But she is gutted that she has to be back here for New Year's Eve as she was hoping to snog one of the French boys."

"Really?"

"Yeah…" Mai shooked her head, amused. "I swear the only reason she took French was to get a French boyfriend or something."

"Nothing to do with the requirements to take a language?"

"Well that too, but you don't hear about 'cute German boys' do you?"

"Uh… No?"

"I think it's because France has nice beaches. Masako makes no sense to me sometimes."

"She got that part in that play thing though, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she really deserves it. Her parents didn't realise how serious she was until she demanded to have an agent and stuff, but I think they are starting to get on board with it. I mean, she's really good."

"I haven't seen her do anything."

"Maybe you should come and watch this things she's doing?"

"Only if you come with me, yeah?"

"Sure, if you buy me a programme," Mai teased.

"Deal."

* * *

Yasuhara's third counselling session was as frustrating as his second. Not only that, but one of the doctors joined them for the last ten minutes and discussed the pros and cons of antidepressants.

Yasuhara was not sure about taking pills.

He now had a thorough understanding of how they 'just enable your brain to work like it should' because 'when depressed, the brain stops producing certain chemicals' or something. But the doctor had also gone into a long rant about how taking antidepressants did not make him 'weak'.

It annoyed him that this doctor assumed he would feel weak for taking them. If you have hayfever, you take antihistamines. If you had a headache, you take a paracetamol. So why wouldn't he take an antidepressant if he was depressed?

But, as he reflected further upon the matter, he supposed that some people would see it as weakness. How was the doctor to know he was not one of those people?

He could have asked.

Yasuhara took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his thoughts. The doctors were trying to help. They were doing their best.

Yasuhara found the last piece of chocolate from the bar Mai had brought him and sucked on it as he stared at the next crossword in his puzzle book.

"Five down, male underwear, five, six."

He checked the existing letters.

"Boxer briefs."

He wrote the word in. In his mind's eye, he saw the image of Eugene on his bed, dressed only in boxers.

Yasuhara shook his head to rid himself of the thought.

But it would not go.

"No."

But was that not what Eugene had said?

The Eugene in his vision shook as he stripped.

"Go away."

He was no longer away of his surroundings. The hospital ward was gone. Consumed by the memory of what he had done, Yasuhara pushed the bedsheets and puzzle book away in blind panic.

In his mind's eye, he closed in on Eugene's frail, bony body. He could feel Eugene shivering in fear beneath his touch. Where was Oliver? Why had he not stopped him? He should have stopped him by now.

"Stop!"

Was that his voice? Or Eugene's? He could not tell. Both were pained and panicked.

"Yasuhara?"

"No… Stop it."

"Yasuhara? Can you hear me?"

"Stop please…I don't want to hurt him…"

"Yasuhara, listen to me, can you count down from one hundred, in multiples of seven."

His head spun as he clung to the calm words of the nurse. But the calm words were not enough. Eugene was gone from his mind. Replaced by Miss Avey striding towards him.

"I…"

He gasped for air.

"Count with me, one hundred, ninety three, whats next?"

Numbers. He could do numbers.

Yasuhara pinched his eyes shut as if that would make everything go away. Subtraction. He had to do the maths.

"Ninety three… Then… Eighty six?"

"Good. And the next one? Keep going."

"Seventy nine. Seventy two. Sixty five."

The hospital slowly came back into focus as he counted down.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, tears streaking down his face. "I…"

"It's okay," Joy said. "You had a panic attack. In a minute, I want you to go and change, okay?"

"What?"

"Your t-shirt?"

Yasuhara looked down, the piece of chocolate he had been sucking on had dribbled down his shirt. The white was now stained with a long brown splodge.

"Oh."

"It's okay," Joy reiterated. "It will come out in the wash. How are you feeling?"

"On edge."

"Understandable. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I… I just saw something I didn't want to see."

"Okay."

"Please don't tell the doctors, they said I could go out. I want to go out."

"Yasuhara, I have to tell them these things, it's my job. They can teach you methods to cope with them alone," Joy said.

"Oh."

"They'll still let you out if you have supervision."

"Does Mai count? Or John?"

"I'm sure that'll be fine," Joy said. "Now, you go and get changed, I'll make you a drink. What would you like? Tea? Coffee?"

"Any chance of a hot chocolate?"

"It won't be very good, but I can probably find you one."

"Thanks."

Yasuhara stumbled from his bed and grabbed a clean t-shirt to put on. He went and changed in the bathroom. Washing his face, he looked up at his own reflection. Without his glasses, he could only just make out his face.

He watched the change in focus as he put them on. He shied his eyes before making eye contact with his reflection, unable to muster the courage to stare at himself.

Returning to his bed, he found that Joy had put his puzzle book away, for which he was grateful. He had no desire to look at it again. Not today. He sat on the edge of the bed and waited for her to return.

She did a few minutes later, holding a disposable cup of steaming hot chocolate.

"Here, it'll be watery, but better than nothing."

"I'll add that to my list of things to do when I get out of here."

"Do any of those things not involve food?"

"Mai tried to con me into helping her with history, does that count?"

"I guess." Joy smiled.

"Can I ask your opinion on something?"

"You can ask," she said.

"They want to put me on antidepressants, do you think I should?"

"Why are you unsure?" she asked back as she took a seat.

"Well, it might help, but the side effects can be really sucky."

"So articulate," she teased.

Yasuhara frowned, the words reminding him of another time. He had said that to Eugene, had he not? He forced the memory away with a few deep breaths, and continued.

"So do you think I should?"

"If it could help, wouldn't it be worth trying?" Joy questioned. "You don't have to stay on them if they don't work, you know that?"

"Yeah."

"So why not give it a go? What do you have to lose?"

"I guess."

She was right. He was at rock bottom right now, what could he possibly lose?

* * *

 **Author's note: "Hannah!" I hear you cry, "Where was our chapter yesterday?"**

 **Okay well yesterday was a bank holiday in the UK which means it was a day off for like everyone and so it felt like a Sunday and I forgot like the idiot that I am...**

 **So ta da! Chapter! Please review!**


	31. Part 3: Chapter 31

"Right, so where first?" John asked as they walked away from the hospital.

"Wait, let me guess," Mai said quickly. "Somewhere that does food?"

"Yes!" Yasuhara said. "Anywhere with food that is better than hospital food."

"Spoons?" John suggested.

"Sounds perfect."

So they headed to Wetherspoons. Yasuhara ordered and paid upfront for everyone's meal as a thank you for accompanying him out of the hospital. Twenty minutes later, they were gorging on pub food.

"I love Spoons," John said. "You can always trust it to have something good."

"Yeah, and they are so good about veggie stuff too," Mai added.

"Oliver's a veggie, isn't he?" John asked.

"I think so," Mai responded. "He definitely has a preference for vegetarian food. When we went on that date he took me to a veggie cafe place. It was really nice food too!"

"Yeah, so many people assume that because there is no meat, it's not as good, but it's not true," John said.

Both John and Mai looked to Yasuhara to see if he had any input on the subject. But his mouth was stuffed with mashed potato.

"It's like they've been starving you," Mai muttered.

"They have," Yasuhara whined. "No one wants to eat that food I swear. I know the NHS is worried about obesity and all but…"

He shoved another forkful of mashed potato and peas into his mouth while Mai rolled her eyes.

"So do you have any real exams, John?"

"Nope, just mocks," he replied.

"Lucky."

"You've got science modules right?"

"Yeah, amongst mocks. Like the teachers just hate us!" Mai groaned. "I mean I get why mocks are important and all but seriously…"

"Focus on the science exams, then just do your best with the rest," John advised. "I know you can redo the science ones, but you don't want that come the summer."

"Yeah, I think Oliver is seeing it as his personal mission to see me do well in the science exams." Mai groaned again. "I told him to concentrate on his own stuff, but he was all 'I know it all' and likes torturing me more."

John gave a hearty laugh before picking up another chip.

"I want pudding," Yasuhara declared, standing upright from his chair. "Do you two want anything?"

Mai and John looked down in unison at their half eaten meals and then back up at Yasuhara's hopeful face.

"Yasuhara, can you wait like ten minutes for us to finish first?" Mai asked.

He collapsed back into his chair and groaned dramatically.

"If we must."

His two friends giggled at his antics.

Yasuhara bought the desserts as soon as Mai and John had put their knives and forks together. They rolled their eyes as he raced off to order at the bar, but they were both smiling. Mai ended up giving half of her dessert to Yasuhara, as she was too full to finish it. He accepted it readily, practically inhaling the remaining chocolate fudge cake.

Once they were all finished, they headed to a coffee shop and found a table for them all to work at. Yasuhara had none of his school things with him, but Mai loaned him the use of a pen and some paper.

He did not know if he ought to be revising for his own mocks. He did not know if the school expected him to sit them or even if the hospital would let him go to them.

A part of him wanted to say 'screw it' and just not do them. But that was also the part of him that told him to sleep and never wake up. The part that said he should try again. The part that did not care if Mai cried again.

He wanted to prove that part of him wrong. But wanting something and achieving it were two very different things.

Yasuhara spent most of his time testing Mai, letting John revise alone. Though John made a point of checking things with him every now and then. Yasuhara was pleased to find he was able to answer not only Mai's questions, but John's too.

"Urgh, I am not doing History A Level," Mai declared. "There is just too much stuff and my brain is too small."

"Brain size does not correlate to intelligence or cleverness, you know," Yasuhara said.

"And now you sound like Oliver. Just shh."

Mai flopped her head down onto the table.

"What do you want to do for A Levels?" John asked, having reached a good point in his own work to stop. "Have they given you your options yet?"

"Nope, we get them after mocks," Mai said, head still on the table. "But I just don't know. I mean I think I want to do science subjects? But I've sort of got attached to English lately, despite the fact that I suck at it."

"Well you've got to enjoy whatever you pick."

"I know," Mai said. "I just envy Masako, she knows what she's picking."

"What?" Yasuhara asked.

"Drama, obviously, English Lit, Economics and Business Studies."

"She can do both?"

"Apparently, but if they say she can't, she said she'll swap Business Studies for French."

"French would be useful," John said. "Lots of universities like you to have a language."

"Masako wants to go to a drama school though," Mai pointed out. "She's only doing A Levels to keep her parents happy, I think."

"Well it's good to have a back up too," John said. "In case acting doesn't work out for her."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "But that doesn't help me. I might do Computing, that's easy enough. But after that... "

"What do you want to do at university?"

"I thought about doing forensics? Maybe? But lately, I just don't know."

"Well you've got a while to think about it."

"You say that, but the teachers keep going on about how we've got to think about our futures," Mai whined. "Like, I get that it's important, but I just don't know…"

Yasuhara put an arm around Mai's shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze.

"I even did those quizzes online that are supposed to help, but they just... Didn't."

"Yeah, they have a very limited set of jobs they recommend," John said. "And half of them are really exclusive. Not everyone can become a firefighter or something. Most people end up working in offices."

"I'm not sure if I want to work in an office," Mai said. "At least, not exclusively."

"Well that narrows it down a bit. But let's worry about this after exams, yeah?" Yasuhara suggested. "I'll help you with it."

"Really?"

"Sur— Of course I will," Yasuhara said. "I owe you after all."

"You don't owe me anything," Mai objected.

"Yes I do."

"You don—"

"Are you rejecting my offer of help?"

"No," Mai said, pouting. "But I'm not accepting because I think you owe me. I'm accepting your help because I need it…"

Yasuhara did not bother to argue. Maybe Mai did not see how much she had done for him, but he did. Helping her work out roughly what she wanted to do with her life would not even begin to repay his debt to her, but he had to start somewhere.

"What time do you need to be back?" John asked.

"Um, four? I think?"

"We haven't got long then. If we pack up now, we could go via Tesco or something and get you some food to take back with you," John suggested.

"Sounds great."

They packed up and cleared their table before leaving for the supermarket. Yasuhara was conscious of the fact that the had no way of refrigerating any of the food that he bought.

"How about biscuits?"

"Won't they go stale?"

"Not if you eat the whole packet they won't," Mai said. "Or you can tie the end off with a hair bunchie."

"Yes, because with my luscious locks I have so many hair bunchies available," Yasuhara said, running a hand through his hair. "Though it is getting a bit long."

"I'll lend you one," Mai said. She rooted around in her bag and within ten seconds had produced a bright pink hair band. "Here."

"Thanks?"

"No problem. My hair's too short to use them now anyway!"

"Oh yeah, John what do you think of Mai's new haircut?" Yasuhara asked, earning himself a dig in the ribs from Mai.

"It suits her, but Mai's always been cute regardless of her hair."

"Very diplomatic of you."

"Honest," John corrected. "Ooh oreos are on offer!"

"Brilliant," Yasuhara said, grabbing two packets in each hand and dumping them into the basket that Mai was holding. Then he took another four.

"But the chocolate ones are so much better," Mai said."

"No," John objected. "Double stuff!"

This argument lasted until the end of their shopping trip. Yasuhara did not want for their day together to end. It had been the most fun he had had in a long time. Though he knew both Mai and John were cautious of him, neither were treating him like a fragile piece of artwork likely to crumble at any moment.

"Mai, are you coming back to dorms?" john asked.

"No, this is my last night with Madoda," Mai said. "She wanted me to stay for New Year's too, but I want to revise."

"Alright, then do you two mind if I head off now?" John asked. "It would make it so much quicker from here."

"Yeah of course," Yasuhara said. "Thank you for coming."

"Any time. See you guys soon!"

Mai and Yasuhara waved to John as he walked away, then began their walk to the hospital.

"Is Madoka picking you up?"

"Yeah, she's taking me out to dinner, to celebrate my last night or something."

"That's nice of her."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. "She is nice."

Yasuhara tried to smile, but his own concerns had caught up with him. If he did not voice them now, he would have to do it by text and that was less appealing. He steeled himself and spoke.

"Um, Mai?"

"Yes?"

"I'm worried about sharing a room with John."

"Why?" Mai sounded incredulous. "He's literally the nicest person I have ever met, ever. I don't think he even knows how to be mean."

"It's not that…"

"Then what is it?" she asked.

"Well… He doesn't know what I did. Don't you think it's a little unfair to make him share a room with me considering what I did?"

"Oh."

Mai frowned, but remained quiet so Yasuhara could continue.

"Would you share a room with someone if you knew they had done something like to someone."

"I've spent enough time with you, haven't I?"

"Mai, that isn't the same."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm gay," Yasuhara hissed. "I wouldn't even get into that situation with a girl, let alone you!"

"What? Am I not attractive enough for someone to want to—" She stopped herself. "That was such a messed up thought I just had. I'll shut up."

"But if he found out later that I'd hurt a guy like that, don't you think he'd be freaked out?"

"Is John your type?" Mai asked.

"Not in the slightest, like he's not bad looking or anything, but no." Yasuhara sighed. "But I still think he'd be uncomfortable about it."

"So what do you want to do? Stay in your existing room?"

"Not really. I was thinking about… About telling him everything. Then he can make an informed decision."

"Well, if you're worried about it," Mai began, "Then that would be the best course of action. What if after that, he said no then?"

"Then I would have to stay in my current room, or maybe a different spare one if they'll let me."

They walked in silence for a little while. Mai appeared to be deep in thought and Yasuhara had no inclination to break her out of it. The sun was close to setting. The streetlights had lit up, illuminating the street ahead of them.

"I'm trying to work out what John would think about it. Like if you told him, it would to be absolutely everything," she mused. "But I've never heard him speak ill of anyone, even the kids that bully people."

"I did a lot worse than bully someone."

"Yeah, but he's religious and all, the whole forgiveness thing," Mai countered. She bit her lip. "I want you two to board together, I think it would be good for you, but you're right. I think you will have to tell him."

"Then there is the worst case scenario."

"Which is?"

"I tell him and he spreads it around. I don't think Gene would want that…"

"No, I don't think he would," Mai agreed.

The hospital was in sight now.

"But I don't think John would spread it," she went on. "He'd be more likely to call you crazy."

"Which fills me with confidence."

Mai hummed.

"I could probe him about this? Like try and ask questions to see how he might take it?"

"Like what?" Yasuhara was sceptical.

"Ask him what he would never forgive and stuff," Mai suggested.

"Wouldn't that be weird?"

"I think John thinks I'm a bit odd anyway," Mai said. "So I don't mind too much."

"Okay, well, let me know how that goes then," Yasuhara said, still not convinced.

They arrived at the gates of the hospital.

"Do I have to come and sign you in or anything?"

"I don't think so," Yasuhara said. "I'll find out in a minute. When is Madoka picking you up?"

"Um, she wants to meet me just down the road in ten minutes or so."

"I'll let you get off then," Yasuhara said. Neither of them made a move to leave though. "I meant what I said, about helping you, by the way."

"I know you did," Mai said. She opened her arms and hugged him briefly.

"Thank you, Mai, for everything you've done."

"Yes, letting you buy me lunch and drinks and teach me History was so hard for me," Mai deadpanned. "I don't know how I coped."

Yasuhara chuckled.

"You know what I meant, most people would just push me out of their lives."

"I told you, you're a victim too. If you had shown no remorse, I think I would have pushed you out."

"Yeah," Yasuhara said, feeling awkward. "Well, I better head in and hide this food from the nurses."

"Are you not allowed food?"

"Well, I think strictly no? Because of allergies and stuff like that. But everyone does from what I've seen."

"Well it's not like you bought anything with nuts in it," Mai said. "That's the bad one, right? You'd think someone would have told you if someone on your ward had a really bad allergy."

"I would hope so, but it is the NHS, so…"

Mai laughed.

"I'll see you soon then."

"Yeah, definitely."

Yasuhara gave Mai one last hug, and then headed inside.

* * *

 **Author's note: Ha! I updated on time today! Go meeeee!**


	32. Part 3: Chapter 32

The first two days of antidepressants sucked. It really sucked. Yasuhara had been told he would feel ill for a few days, but had not expected that a tiny little pill could make his head hurt like this. His brain felt like it was trying to escape from his skull. He did not honestly believe that it would be as bad as it was.

Headaches aside, his entire body was slow and lethargic, unwilling to move. His symptoms reminded him of the flu. Not man flu, real flu.

He fell asleep so many times he lost count. Joy woke him for every meal, but he hardly felt like eating.

Yet Monday morning he woke feeling a lot better. He was still tired… But something felt different. He could not quite put his finger on exactly what that something was, so he just rolled with it.

Joy had given him the use of a private room to phone the school. He spoke to the Head of Sixth Form, who was well aware of his situation.

"Of course we want you to take the mocks if you feel up to it."

So Yasuhara arranged to collect his school books from his room in the boarding house. Joy found an empty office for him to study in and he threw himself into his work. He only had three mock exams, one the first week, two the second.

If he was going to do right by Gene, and become a lawyer to protect victims of sexual assault, he needed to do well in school. Though mocks did not count for anything grade wise, a good mock score would help in his references from his teachers.

When the nurses saw his determination, they encouraged him, Joy especially so. She bought him cups of coffee throughout the day and tested him with the cue cards he had spent hours writing out.

* * *

 **Mai: Right, so, Superintendent Inspector Investigator Mai, the world renowned spy and crimefighter, has done some probing.**

Yasuhara's breath hitched. He forced the air out of his lungs and took two deep breaths before replying.

 **Yasuhara: And?**

Mai took far longer than Yasuhara liked to respond.

 **Mai: Well, I asked him about what he would and wouldn't forgive and he said 'If the person was willing to change I would forgive anything, assuming they had served their sentence and stuff, I guess?' That is copied from the text he sent me.**

 **Mai: Which I think is a good sign, right?**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, I think so. Thanks Mai.**

 **Mai: No problem. I think his last mock exam is on Wednesday morning, so you could meet him after that? When is your last one?**

 **Yasuhara: Wednesday afternoon. So maybe Thursday.**

 **Mai: Sounds like a plan! I'm really proud of you for coming in and doing your mocks by the way!**

Yasuhara could not describe the feeling in his stomach at Mai saying she was 'proud of him'. It was odd to hear anyone say that. His father certainly had never said it and his mother spent more time with his sister than him.

But Mai was a year younger than him.

Was what Mai told him actually pride or was it patronising?

* * *

Yasuhara's mock exams went better than expected. Considering he had started his revision days before the mocks, he had not thought that he would do that well. Yet he came out of every mock having been able to put at least something down for every question.

In fact, he thought his Politics essay had been particularly good. Not that he had dared say that outloud. That might have jinxed it.

His last mock was Economics on Wednesday afternoon. Once he was out and returning to the hospital, he texted John.

 **Yasuhara: Hey, Mai mentioned you would be done by now, any chance we could meet tomorrow to discuss room sharing?**

John had been speedy to reply.

 **John: Yeah, I have been meaning to ask you the same thing! How about for lunch again? Meet you at Spoons at noon?**

 **Yasuhara: Sounds perfect! See you then.**

With that sorted, Yasuhara enjoyed the walk back. For his first exam, the nurses and doctors had insisted he had someone drive him there, but after he had shown no inclination to 'do anything stupid', they had allowed him to walk for the remaining two exams.

He knew, deep down, that it was part of the whole 'slowly giving him responsibility for himself' crap. But he swallowed down his bitter thoughts as he enjoyed the freedom.

"How was it?" Joy asked as he arrived back and threw his blazer on the end of his bed.

"Alright," Yasuhara replied.

"Good, the doctor wants to talk to you in about an hour about your release."

"Oh?"

"Don't worry, it's not stopping it. It's just talking about your continued support."

Yasuhara breathed a sigh of relief. Not that he would admit it outloud, but he had been worried that they would not let him leave.

"Do you want a drink?"

"Please, I'll just go and change."

Ten minutes later and he was nursing a cup of low quality hot chocolate, dressed in his pyjamas.

"You know," he mumbled. "It's odd, I think I'll miss this place. It's nice having other people around."

"You're not the first person to say that," Joy told him. "We had a patient once who… Attempted again because they hated being at home alone. But you're going back to people, aren't you?"

"I hope so.. "I really hope so."

* * *

The meeting with the doctors was predictable and dull. They lectured him on topics they had already discussed a hundred times before, or so it felt like it. Yasuhara would have to return for weekly sessions and continue on the antidepressants for about six months before they reviewed the situation again. But they had not withdrawn their consent for him to be discharged.

And that was the important thing.

Yasuhara left early to meet John. He arrived thirty minutes early and found a table in the corner of Wetherspoons and waited. Every two minutes, he checked his phone for the time. Every two minutes, he was surprised to see it had not moved forward faster than it had.

When the clock hit noon, Yasuhara's head shot up and stared at the door, as if John was going to walk in at that very moment.

Disappointingly he did not.

John was five minutes late. The longest five minutes of Yasuhara's life so far.

"Hey, sorry, I took the bus because I was running late anyway and then it got stuck in traffic. Have you been here long?" John said as he took his seat.

"No, not at all," Yasuhara lied. "Can I get you something?"

"You can't pay again," John complained. "I won't let you."

"No, please," Yasuhara begged.

John frowned, but relented.

"Fine."

"Good, now what do you want?" Yasuhara asked, glancing down at the menu as if he had not decided what he was going to eat half an hour ago. "I was thinking a burger personally."

"Burgers sound good," John agreed. "Cheeseburger with chips, please."

"Drink?"

"Orange J2O, please."

Yasuhara placed their orders at the bar and returned to their table.

"Mai warned me that you wanted to talk about something serious," John said. "Is it about why you…?" He trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence.

"Yeah, it's about that I guess."

"And it's about Gene too, isn't it?"

Yasuhara's brows furrowed.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"I noticed your change after whatever was going on between you and Gene ended," John admitted.

"Oh. Well yes."

A waiter brought them their drinks at that moment, they thanked him and waited for him to depart before speaking again.

"Do you want to get it over with?" John asked. "Or wait a bit?"

Yasuhara found it odd how easy it was to talk to John. He somehow invited confidence. Perhaps it was his gentle voice or kind smile. Yasuhara was not sure.

"I… I'm honestly scared that you'll run a mile if I tell you."

"I'm not wasting food," John said. "I promise to stay until I've finished eating, and I'm a slow eater. How's that?"

Yasuhara smiled. It was as good as he could hope for.

"Alright," he agreed.

And so he began. His story was starting to sound rehearsed by now. How many people had he told? Yet he had noticed it became easier to talk about it with every repeat.

John listened, much like Mai had, with a blank face. A few micro expressions gave away his true feelings, but he did not interrupt. Their food arrived halfway through his story, but he simply paused and resumed once the waiter had moved away.

"And when I woke up, I was in hospital," he concluded. "I'm now on antidepressants with weekly counselling sessions."

John finished chewing the chip that was in his mouth and swallowed. Yasuhara watched every agonisingly slow, tiny movement in John's body, waiting for a response.

"I see."

"I wanted to tell you so you had the choice to not share if you don't want to," Yasuhara said. "I mean, I understand if you don't. I probably wouldn't and…"

"A lot of things make sense now," John said, pensively.

Yasuhara, who no longer felt hungry, waited. He wanted to beg John to speak, tell him his thoughts. But he knew he could not rush it.

John had to come to his own conclusions.

"I proposed us sharing because I did not want you to try anything again," John began. "But I had not expected this."

Yasuhara stayed quiet.

"I… I want to think about it, is that okay?"

"Of course it is!"

It was not a flat out 'no' and Yasuhara took some solace in that fact.

"Okay," John said, giving a half smile. "So, assuming we do live together, how do you want to arrange things?"

"I've never seen one of the share rooms," Yasuhara said.

"It's basically one and a half times the size of the single rooms, with two beds and two desks and two sets of drawers," John explained.

"With a line down the middle?"

"Well not quite, but kind of. Okay, well… I like to sleep with my bedside lamp on low, would that bother you?"

"I've kind of got used to there being some light from being in hospital, so… Probably not."

"Great," John said. "Do you have any habits…?" He waved a hand, hoping Yasuhara would elaborate.

"I like to play classical music while I work?" Yasuhara said. "But I can use headphones?"

"That's fine, as long as it isn't Beethoven."

"What's wrong with Beethoven?"

"I just… No."

"Beethoven is great!" Yasuhara protested.

"But Tschaikowsky is better," John insisted.

"And to think Mai said she'd never heard you say anything mean against anyone. Poor Beethoven."

"I just think that he's not the best composer…" John said, obviously feeling awkward.

Yasuhara sighed.

The desire to eat slowly returned. He finished his chips one by one as they spoke of other matters of co-habitation.

"I'll let you know as soon as I've decided, okay?" John said as they finished eating.

Yasuhara's smile from moments before faded into a somber stare.

"Thank you, for hearing me out and not punching me," he said finally. "I won't think badly of you if you chose not to. I completely understand."

"Thank you. Well, I better be off." John nodded and left.

Yasuhara did not watch him leave. He did not want to seem needy. But their chat did make him wish he had made the effort to get to know John a lot earlier.

But wishing did not change anything.

When he was sure John would be out of the vicinity, Yasuhara walked to Tesco and bought a large box of fancy chocolates to give to the nurses. He would be leaving on Saturday no matter what and he wanted to thank them for what they had done.

He gave the chocolates to Joy to share as soon as he got back. She thanked him and took them to the little nurses' office that they kept their belongings in. He knew chocolates would not really convey how grateful he was, but it was the best he could do for now.

For the rest of the day, he spent his time in the day room helping the two boys from the previous week improve their table tennis skills. They had evidently been practicing over the last week, as they could now hold a reasonable rally.

By the time Yasuhara was forced to leave the day room by the nurses, he had forgotten about John's decision. It came flooding back as Joy asked him if wanted help packing the following day. He chose to her help.

Though he had arrived with basically nothing, he had a surprising amount of crap accumulated around his bed. His school uniform and the rest of his clothing had been squashed into the bedside cabinet. His school books were piled on top of his bag on the floor and under his bed was the remains of his not-so-subtly snuck in food.

* * *

John texted Yasuhara on Friday night as he was climbing into bed to sleep.

 **John: I'm sorry I've left it so long, but I wanted to be sure of my own thoughts.**

Yasuhara thought it sounded something like a break up speech. Not that he had ever really had one of those… Or given one… He had not had a chance after being thrown out of the Davis household.

Though, as he reminded himself, he had never asked Eugene out in the first place. He was not sure if he regretted that action. Would that have made what he did worse? Or would the security of being in a committed relationship have stopped him doing it?

He turned his attention back to the text.

 **John: I would like to offer a trial run that I can say no to at any time. And if I do, we revert back to our old rooms no questions asked.**

Yasuhara blinked. He had not expected that. He had not expected a remotely positive answer.

 **Yasuhara: Of course!**

Anxiety drained from Yasuhara's body like water through a sieve. He hesitated, then texted again.

 **Yasuhara: What made you decide that?**

He waited, curious and concerned about John's answer.

 **John: I spoke with Mai, I assumed she knew and I was correct. I talked it through with her and I figured it would be wrong of me not to try. She pointed out that you were remorseful of what had happened and… She was right that you were a victim too.**

 **John: I will not lie, I am a bit worried about it. But the Matron has no intent to hand out our existing rooms - I spoke to her earlier too - and so thought giving it a trial would be worth it. If I can help you, I should.**

Tears rose to his eyes, blurring his vision as he typed his reply.

 **Yasuhara: Thank you.**

"Are you alright?" Joy had appeared at the end of his bed.

"My friend wants to room share. He wants to help me," Yasuhara burst out, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh, my dear," Joy said, offering her arms to him. He leant into the hug and sobbed into her shoulder. "You deserve this help."

"I don't," he whispered.

Joy did not know the whole story. If she did, she would not be hugging him like this. Yasuhara was not convinced that she would believe him even if he did tell her.

He did not understand why he was being given so many chances. But he was going to make the most of it.

* * *

 **Author's note: So "Spoons" "Wethers" and "Wetherspoons" are all the same thing. Wetherspoons is a pub chain in the UK, which is often abbrievated to "Spoons" or "Wethers" depending on who you talk to. Each one has its own pub name, one I went to yesterday was called "The Angel", the one we used to go to in Manchester was called "Fort Maddox Brown" and so on... Please review :)**


	33. Part 3: Chapter 33

At the end of the first school day, Yasuhara returned to his and John's room. He flopped onto his bed and sighed.

No one had said anything to him about his suicide attempt. But everyone had stared at him. How could he have failed to notice such long, painful stares being sent his way?

Their eyes had darted from his face to his wrists, looking for any signs of scars. Yasuhara growled at the very thought. At one point, he had felt like pulling his sleeves back and holding his arms up so everyone could get their gawping over with.

And then there were the whispers. Not loud enough for him to hear, but loud enough for him to know they were there. He could guess what they were whispering about. How had he done it? Was it true Mai found him? Why did he do it?

Was he going to do it again?

The rumours died down as the week went on. Though he appreciated that all of the teachers seemed to be giving him a break. The lack of pressure from them allowed him to work quietly in the corner of the classroom.

* * *

Yasuhara hated assemblies.

He did not honestly know anyone that liked them, but the teacher running this one was reiterating the same point over and over again.

Said teacher was short, fat and balding. He clapped his hands together as he spoke.

"...need to start looking at universities," he went on. "The school will be arranging a visit to a undergraduate fair in the summer, but getting a head start is a good idea. Talk to your teachers about your predicted grades and…"

Yasuhara tuned out. The entire year group was in the main hall. He did not think anyone was actually paying attention by now. His eyes scanned the crowd and spotted two black haired young men sitting side by side a few rows forward.

Amused by how the twins' hair sat in the same style, Yasuhara caught a reflection off the frame of Oliver's glasses. He looked down at his hands that sat in his lap, his fingers interlocked and forcibly still.

The assembly ended and they were released. However getting a hundred and fifty students through one set of double doors always took time. The jostling students murmured amongst themselves as they filed out and began towards their first lessons of the day.

Yasuhara had a free period first, so he headed to his locker to collect his Politics textbook. They had started a new topic this week and he wanted to head up a bit before his lesson later on.

Though their lockers were reasonably close to each other, Yasuhara had yet to bump into Eugene. Today, that came to an end.

He heard him before he saw him. Eugene was talking to himself as he checked his bag. Yasuhara walked straight past, ignoring the mutters of 'will I need my bio textbook'.

Eugene, apparently, did not notice him.

Yasuhara unlocked his locker and rummaged for his books. He spotted his Maths textbook that he had never returned. His fingers reached out for it, but hesitated when he heard voices from the other side of his locker door.

"Hey, are you the twin that's going out with the cute fifth year?" a male voice that he did not recognise asked.

"No," Eugene's voice said.

Yasuhara froze when he heard the next words.

"Oh, so you are the one that made that guy try and kill himself?"

"I…"

"That was a dick move, there."

"Well, I…"

Where was Oliver? Yasuhara did not know. But Oliver needed to be there. He needed to protect his brother. But Eugene was just left stammering alone.

Yasuhara slammed his locker door shut, causing everyone to look around at him. He shrugged his bag over his shoulder and strode right up to the guy who had been questioning Eugene to glare at him.

"I attempted suicide because I was depressed. That depression was caused by my own bad life choices," he growled. He pulled his sleeves down and held up his wrists in the boy's face. "I didn't slit my wrists, and in case you were wondering, I took too many pills. Any other questions?"

The boy, who had shrunk back against the lockers, shook his head.

"Good, so leave Gene alone. He did nothing wrong."

Yasuhara gave him one last piercing glare before striding away. He could not bring himself to look at Eugene, but hoped that his words might stop people giving him a hard time.

Yet as he sat down in the library, he found he was shaking. He opened his Politics book, but the words on the page did not make coherent sentences.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Yasuhara's chest filled with fear as he looked up.

Eugene loomed over him. He was not as thin as when Yasuhara had last scene him, but his face was worryingly blank.

"Oh." The sound escaped Yasuhara's lips without permission.

"Thank you, for what you did back there," Eugene muttered. Yasuhara searched his face for any emotion, but Eugene was good at emulating his brother.

"No problem. Someone had to."

Yasuhara could not maintain eye contact, so stared at Eugene's shoulder instead. An ache in his chest worsened the longer Eugene stood there. Surely he was going to say something else?

"Well, yeah."

Eugene strode away. Yasuhara wanted to run after him. He wanted to hug Eugene. He wanted to somehow make it all better. He knew that it would not help. But that did not stop him from wanting.

It took him twenty minutes to manage to concentrate on his Politics book, by which time half the period was over. Why had Eugene approached him? To prove something? To be the bigger person? It did not make sense to Yasuhara. Yet he had found some kind of solace in the fact that Eugene had chosen to seek him out and thank him. He knew they could never be close friends, but maybe non-hostile acquaintances?

* * *

Saturday was Day One of 'Yasuhara finding Mai a purpose in life'.

They spent their morning doing homework in the canteen. After lunch, Yasuhara brought his laptop down for them to use. Mai had offered her own, but Yasuhara knew how slow it was.

"Wow it just loads," Mai gushed. "And the keys type letters when you press them! There's a second delay on mine."

"You need a new laptop," Yasuhara commented.

"I know, I'm saving up for one," Mai said. "I was hoping for a good deal in the January sales, but nothing came up that was suitable."

"Well if you don't find anything decent by your birthday then I'm buying you one," Yasuhara said. "Your birthday is in July right?"

"Yeah, but you can't do that!"

"I can."

"But computers cost a lot of money!"

"Yes, but I also get given a lot of money by my father to shut me up. I may as well use it for something useful."

"I won't let you."

"I don't care."

Mai scowled, but chose to move the discussion forwards.

"So," she prompted.

"Well I thought we could start off by looking at the school's prospectus for potential Sixth Form students."

Yasuhara produced his own copy and handed it over.

"Right."

"Well it'll give you an idea of what you _can_ take and we can then narrow it down from there."

So they flicked through the prospectus and listed all the subjects down on a piece of paper. Mai immediately crossed off a few of her disliked subjects.

"Well, I would recommend that if you're going to do any science subject, then maths would not go amiss."

"Yeah, 'cos you know all about science."

"I'll have you know I got three A-stars in my science subjects. Only just but still."

Mai laughed.

"Which subjects do you enjoy?"

"Well Drama is fun, Computing is easy… Maths used to be fun. I like reading and stuff for English but I hate essays. I hate essays in general actually. And coursework."

"Isn't Computing mainly coursework?"

"Yeah, but I can finish that in lessons so it doesn't feel like real coursework," Mai countered.

"I see, so Computing is a contender."

He highlighted Computing in green.

"You said Drama was fun?" Yasuhara prompted.

"Well yeah, but it's so hard to do well in. Like, in all my other subjects I'm getting A's or A-stars, but Drama I have no chance of getting higher than a B."

"So no to Drama?"

"I guess," Mai agreed and struck it off the list.

"History?"

"No. Too many essays."

"Same for English?"

"I guess, I can read outside of class."

"French?"

"Oh dear lord no, I hate doing orals in other languages," Mai gushed. "Like seriously. I love learning it, and saying cool stuff, but the tests are so much scarier!"

"I know exactly what you mean," Yasuhara said, sitting back. "Like, I was convinced at my old school that our French teacher was teaching us to say rude things and telling us that they mean innocent things."

"Oh my, were they actually?"

"No!" Yasuhara chuckled. "But I was so worried about it."

"Surely you could have checked in textbooks and stuff?"

"I was still paranoid. I mean what if I turned up in France and thought I was saying 'hi' and it turned out it meant 'bum' or something!"

Mai giggled behind her hand.

"Anyway," Yasuhara went on. "Not French."

"Non," Mai said. "That was 'no' in French, by the way."

Yasuhara closed his eyes at the poor joke and groaned. Mai grinned triumphantly.

They continued to whittle Mai's list down until she had a few too many options.

"Well this gives you an idea of what areas you can look into for University," Yasuhara said. "Maybe by the end of this term, you'll have a better idea of which of these you want to do."

"I had been thinking about that," Mai revealed in a half whisper.

"Go on," Yasuhara said, enthused. "You've had an idea?"

"Yeah. I was thinking… Well… After," Mai pursed her lips momentarily, "After recent events, I was thinking about Criminology."

"Oh, I see."

Yasuhara swallowed the sudden wave of guilt in his stomach. Trying to let nothing of his thoughts show, he smiled encouragingly.

"That's a great idea. You could go into lots of things after that too," he went on. "Lots of people skills, analytical skills, if you keep up your programming, you would be very hireable."

"Is hireable even a word?" Mai asked.

"It sounds like one," Yasuhara said. "You know what I mean."

"I do. Well, it was just an idea," Mai said.

"It's a good one."

He wrote it down on the piece of paper with her potential subjects on.

"Thanks, Yasuhara, for doing this."

"It's no problem."

"No, but, like I could have done this by myself. But having you sit there and say things makes it so much easier."

"I'm just focusing the line of thought, that's all."

"Well you're good at focusing my line of thought then." Mai laughed. "You'll make a great lawyer I think."

"I hope so. I'll need to be for when you do something stupid." He stuck his tongue out.

"Like what?" Mai demanded in mock offence.

"Like, you get mad at Oliver and stab him or something."

"I'll have you know, I have seen enough CSI to know how to hide the body and rid the crime scene of prints."

"Of course you do. But if the Criminal Minds team get on your case then you are screwed."

"Criminal Minds?"

"You haven't seen it?" Yasuhara was incredulous. He opened his documents on his laptop. "This needs rectifying. I have all the DVDs so I ripped them onto my laptop."

"Is that allowed?"

"No idea."

Mai rolled her eyes, but took the earphone bud that Yasuhara offered her.

The rest of their afternoon was spent watching Criminal Minds, as Mai was soon hooked on the crime fighting team and their escapades to profile the bad guys. They stopped only when dinner was served, and reluctantly at that.

"I want to do that for a living, is that a real job?" Mai asked as she ate. "Like, in England, not America. I don't want to move to America."

"'Cos Oliver won't come with you?"

"Oliver's got nothing to do with it," Mai muttered. "But America has guns and stuff."

"It's not that bad," Yasuhara said.

"You've been?"

"Yeah, just once," he replied. "When I was like ten?"

"Where did you go?" Mai asked, now curious.

"New York," Yasuhara said. "My mother wanted to go. I think it was fashion week or something, she loves that stuff. It was her present from my father for their fifteenth wedding anniversary."

"That's quite cute," Mai said.

"Yeah, it's just me that my Dad hates."

"Really?"

Yasuhara looked away, annoyed at himself for souring the conversation.

"Where would you like to go? If you could go anywhere in the world?" he asked, avoiding Mai's question.

"Easy, Japan."

"Really?"

"Yeah! My parents were both born there, but moved here for work. Mum taught Japanese at a university, Dad worked at the UK branch of some Japanese tech company. But I never got to go and see where they grew up. I'd like to go some day."

"That's cool. I've been to Japan so many times, it's almost routine. We visit the grandparents every year. That's why I was late starting the school year, my old school started later and they assumed all schools did."

"Oh, that would explain it."

"Yeah. Turned out okay."

"Maybe one day we could go to Japan together," Mai suggested. "You'll know your way around."

"Sure."

"Sounds like fun."

Yasuhara agreed. Maybe some time in the future, when they were both grown adults and had jobs and places of their own… It would be nice to take a trip without the pressure of family. Instead it would just be him and his friends. It would be fun.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I almost forgot this and its also over 30 degrees celsius and its too hot and I'm dying so please send lots of nice reviews...**


	34. Part 3: Chapter 34

Mai had gone to see Oliver on Sunday, leaving Yasuhara alone in his room. John had gone to church for the morning. Yasuhara had known John was religious, but the whole idea of going to church was something that alluded him. Or maybe he just did not see how it was any better than school assemblies. It had to be worse surely, churches were always freezing in winter.

But the free time gave him no excuse not to read. It had been recommended to him to read some extracurricular books to use on his personal statement for university. That, alongside tutoring Mai in History, put him in good stead for getting into a reasonable univesity. His History teacher, who was also Mai's, had agreed to mention it in their reference. The only thing he needed now was some work experience.

He had thought about asking his father for help getting some work experience in Law, as he was sure his father would be able to do something for him. But he did not want to rely on him.

He would find something himself.

* * *

Weeks passed in the dull repeating pattern that school enforced. But Yasuhara was grateful for it as it allowed him to settle.

A few weeks into the spring term and the rumours about him had all but vanished, there was new gossip abroad. Apparently one of the fifth years was pregnant by the captain of the football team. It sounded so cliche to Yasuhara that he almost laughed when he first heard it.

However, Mai assured him that it was true.

"They've been going out forever though, like at least two years," she told him one evening at dinner. "But it's true, she doesn't do P.E any more!"

"Scandalous."

"It is!" Mai insisted. "I am surprised she's keeping it to be honest."

"Would you?"

"If I got pregnant now? No way, I am not ready for that. It would be bad for me and the kid."

"Suppose," Yasuhara mumbled. "It's half term next week, what are you doing?"

"Well Masako is in London, rehearsals," Mai said. "But Madoka offered me her place again. So I think I'm going there. You?"

"Going home," Yasuhara said. "Nowhere else to go. I hate that this half term felt so short! We've only been at school a few weeks."

"It's because January exams cut a lot out of it. Although it is, it doesn't feel like real school, you know?"

"Yeah…"

"I could ask Madoka if you could stay too?" Mai suggested.

"Nah, it's okay. I should see my family. They didn't get to see me at Christmas after all."

"I suppose. But they don't know, do they?"

"No. They don't. But, I guess it might be nice to be around people that don't know."

"Maybe," Mai mumbled. "But I'll miss you."

"Nah you won't, it's valentine's day next week, you'll be doing something cute with Oliver I'm sure."

"Oh don't get me started," Mai groaned. "Luella was hinting last sunday that he should propose, like genuinely. She is so ridiculous."

"I'm sure that was a joke."

"I'm not even old enough!" Mai exclaimed. "I just… I love Luella, she's a lovely person, but seriously, she needs a new project."

"Have you stitched up Lin and Madoka yet?"

"Oh, no, maybe I should do that."

"Well, it would throw the emphasis off you and Oliver for ten minutes," Yasuhara said.

"What I really need is for Lin to propose or something," Mai said, thinking.

"They've only been dating for a few months," Yasuhara countered.

"Yeah, but they act like an old married couple already. But them getting engaged would swallow Luella's entire focus until least after my GCSEs. And I could be a bridesmaid, that would be fun."

"So you want to wear the pretty dresses?" Yasuhara accused.

"Who doesn't want to wear pretty dresses?" Mai retorted, tongue stuck out.

"You've caught me! All I want in life is to wear a pretty dress!"

"Is this a bad moment to intrude?"

Mai and Yasuhara looked around to see John standing at the end of their table. Mai dissolved into giggles.

"Sure, we were just talking about Yasuhara's cross dressing habits," she forced out.

John looked as if he did not know whether to take them seriously as Yasuhara sniggered.

"I was wondering if you two are joining us for table tennis this evening?" John asked, choosing to move on from that topic.

"Ooh, yeah that sounds fun," Mai said. "I think you could all do with a good thrashing."

"As if you could," Yasuhara said.

"You beat me one time!" Mai exclaimed. "I have beat you every other time!"

"Square it on the table tennis table," John recommended.

Mai jumped up from her chair.

"Bring it!" She slammed her hands down on the table. "I demand a duel!" She pointed her finger at Yasuhara.

"Accepted."

They ignored the stares of other diners and stalked from the room, John following in their wake.

"I was going to throw a white glove at you," Mai hissed once outside of the dining room.

"Oh Mai…"

* * *

"She's a demon," Yasuhara muttered as he and John returned to their room. "It's like she's possessed!"

"Mai has very good reflexes," John said. "She has a talent for table tennis."

"No, she's possessed by the demon of table tennis. I refuse to believe anything else."

"Perhaps we should exorcise her…" John suggested. "I'm catholic after all, I'm sure I could learn to do an exorcism…"

Yasuhara laughed and opened their room. He flopped on his bed.

"We might have to," he mumbled. "It'd be for her own good."

"What are you doing for half term?"

"Going back to my parents," Yasuhara replied.

"Looking forward to it?"

"Not really, but being in London makes it easier to find law firms, there are enough about."

"Work experience?"

"Yeah," Yasuhara said. "Looking for something for the summer, if I'm going to be stuck in London for most of it, I would rather do something useful."

"Fair enough."

"What about you?"

"Family, we're going to Wales for the week."

"Wales?"

"Yeah, we have family in Bangor."

"Bangor? You don't even know her!" Yasuhara exclaimed. Then clapped his hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," John said, smiling. "It's an old joke."

"Still…"

"My parents want to go sea kayaking."

"In February?"

"Yes."

"In Wales?"

"Yes."

"Are they nuts?"

"I am questioning that," John said, laughing. "I mean, it'll be fun, but freezing."

"Well I hope you enjoy it."

"Me too, if I come back with a few less toes, we'll blame it on frostbite."

Yasuhara groaned at the very idea.

"I've got a bit of homework I want to get done, do you might if I put on some music?"

"As long as it isn't Beethoven," John teased.

"I was going to branch out today."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, found this Korean pianist on YouTube, his stuff is really relaxing."

"Kiruma?"

"Yeah, you've heard of him?"

"Yeah, I'm good with that."

Yasuhara grinned and found a playlist. Then he opened up his Economics book and set to work. The music soothed him as he studied, blocking out the less pleasant thoughts and worries.

* * *

Friday morning found Yasuhara stuck in another assembly. This one was about safe driving and the Pass Plus scheme. As Yasuhara was not seventeen for another month, he was not too worried about driving. It was not like he would be able to learn straight away, unless he took lessons at the weekend.

And he certainly did not want to learn in London, that sounded horrific. Though if he ended up working in London, would he need to learn to drive? The tube would serve his transport needs. He would argue that using public transport was more eco friendly too.

After the assembly, Yasuhara walked to the library and took up at his usual table, this week working on a History essay about the Tsar of Russia's abdication. It had been the first topic that he had found truly interesting for a while.

"Hey."

Yasuhara froze at the sound of that voice. He looked up to see Eugene had sat opposite him.

"H-Hi."

"I want to talk to you, do you have a minute?"

Yasuhara did not think he could reasonably refuse all things considering.

"Sure."

"Um. I don't know if you know, but I've been seeing a counsellor guy about things," Eugene said in a half whisper, so as not to disturb other people. "And as a result I'm trying to face a few fears. I've been watching you over the last few weeks and I've seen you've made a real effort with things."

He paused for breath. His elbows lent on the desk, his hands interlocked and his thumbs twiddling around each other.

"As result, I've decided I'd like for us to go for a coffee or something. So I can prove to myself that you no longer have power over me."

Yasuhara's mouth dropped open. He had had no idea what Eugene had wanted when he had appeared like that, but he had definitely not expected that of all things.

"You what?"

A numb feeling had spread over Yasuhara's body, followed by a cold tingling sensation and a dull throb in the pit of his stomach. Maybe he had misheard Eugene. He must of misheard him. There was no way that—

"I want to prove that you no longer have any power over me."

"But I don't," Yasuhara hissed, frowning. "I don't think it's a good—"

"Well, I do think it's a good idea," Eugene stated. "Are you free this weekend?"

"No, I'm going back to London tomorrow. Because of half term…"

"When are you back?"

"Following Saturday," Yasuhara replied.

"So you'd be free on Sunday?"

"Well I—"

"Well, let me know yeah? I really want to do this."

Yasuhara wanted to object, but Eugene had already left.

He shook his head. It was not a good idea. It really was not a good idea. It was a really, really bad idea. What was Eugene thinking? Did he not remember what had happened? Had he gone crazy? Had Yasuhara gone crazy? Was this a hallucination?

Yasuhara pinched his arm. It hurt.

"Shit," he breathed.

He brought his hand up to his mouth and bit his finger as he tried to think of a way out of this. Telling Oliver seemed like the best idea. Oliver would put a stop to it right away. But it struck Yasuhara that that would be him 'controlling Eugene's life through manipulation'.

He swore again and looked back down at his essay. He had a week to get out of it. Only a week.

* * *

A prepaid taxi had been ordered to take him to the train station the next morning. Yasuhara climbed in with his small suitcase and school bag full of homework. They passed near to the Davis household on the way to the station and Yasuhara found himself looking out for Eugene.

He had thought, upon further reflection, that at least Eugene had looked healthier yesterday. Still thin, but not as bony. It meant that whatever professional help he was getting was working.

He slapped himself on the forehead. If Eugene thought he could go for a coffee with him, of course it was working.

Yasuhara had thought through every possible outcome of meeting Eugene in a casual setting. The best case scenario was they both walked away, not crying.

But the worst…

The first idea he had was that Eugene would get upset. Eugene was up there with Mai on Yasuhara's list of 'people he did not want to cry'.

Then a worse thought struck him.

What if…

He felt stupid for even thinking it. But the thought would not go away. What if Eugene fell for him again? Returned to his abuser and… And Yasuhara did something dreadful again. What if he hurt Eugene again?

He had barely survived the first time. He did not want a second attempt.

If he found no way out of this meeting, he thought as he boarded the train, he would have to walk away and ensure there would be no further casual meeting.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well today is the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter book so yay**


	35. Part 3: Chapter 35

London was as busy as Yasuhara remembered it. People rushed from building to building caught up in their own lives.

Sonder.

He found a seat on the tube, which he soon gave up for a pregnant woman. He only had a few stops to go anyway. London had one of the highest crime rates in the UK. Chances were that there was at least one criminal in this carriage.

But who was it?

The man that looked like a banker, what could his crime be? Embezzlement? Tax evasion? Or the youth... Antisocial behaviour? Petty theft? Or even the pregnant woman. She could be a drug dealer. Or a benefit fraudster.

Yasuhara shook his head.

He was the criminal on this carriage. Chances are he was alone in that respect.

The banker was smiling at the image of his kid on his smart phone. The youth was sharing chocolate with what appeared to be his younger sibling. The pregnant woman was reading a magazine article about health supplements for pregnancy.

They were innocent people surely? But how many people looked at him and thought 'rapist'?

If he had taken a poll, he reckoned most people would peg him as a Japanese Tourist who had lost his camera. Which would make sense considering his suitcase.

As the underground train came to a stop, Yasuhara gripped the handle of his suitcase. He disembarked and once above ground, began the walk to his parents' house.

He had a plan. Tomorrow he would bash out the rest of his homework. Then the remainder of his week would be searching for work experience. As for his problem with meeting Eugene, he had decided to text Mai about it. He hated having to rely on Mai for help, but he needed it.

* * *

 **Yasuhara: Mai, I need your assistance.**

 **Mai: Go for it, what's the problem.**

 **Yasuhara: Yesterday, Gene approached me and asked to go for coffee to 'prove I had no control over him'.**

 **Mai: Oh.**

 **Yasuhara: 'Oh' indeed! I tried to say no, but he wasn't happy about that. What do I do?!**

Mai took a long time to respond. Or rather, a long time considering how little she replied with.

 **Mai: I don't know. Let me think about it.**

 **Yasuhara: Thanks.**

But he did not feel thankful. Worry consumed him as he sat balled up under his duvet. Mai did not reply that evening. Or the next day.

She replied on Monday.

 **Mai: I don't think Oliver knows about Gene's idea, which concerns me. I probed him a bit, asking how Gene's counselling is going - which seems to be positive by the way - but he did not mention meeting you at all. Which I think Oliver would have? Considering we're friends?**

 **Mai: But I had an idea. Gene obviously wants you to come, right? So go. But I'll come too. I get that he won't want me there, so I'll sit a little way away and then you can give me a signal if I need to intervene.**

 **Mai: It's not a brilliant plan but it's the best I've got right now.**

 **Yasuhara: If neither of us can't think of anything better, we'll go with that, if you're willing.**

 **Mai: I would not have suggested it if I was not willing. I'll bring a book.**

 **Yasuhara: I'll buy you a drink.**

 **Mai: Well duh, that is the charge for my services :P**

Yasuhara sighed in relief. He finished the coffee he was drinking and left the coffee shop. Next on his list of law firms to hit up was Green and Alliott. He had never heard of it, but it had appeared on his google search.

He strode in, dressed in his best suit, and walked up to the desk.

"Hi, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"I am looking to speak to someone about work experience here," Yasuhara said, as confidently as he could.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but I am here all week if I need to make one."

The receptionist did not look convinced. He scratched his meticulously cared for beard and frowned.

"Give me a minute."

"Sure."

Yasuhara backed away a little, to give him space, but he was close enough to listen in on the conversation.

"Sir, yes, I have a young man looking for work experience here. Yes. Okay. Will do."

He hung up.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?" Yasuhara walked forwards again.

"Do you have a CV?"

"I do," Yasuhara said, he pulled one from his bag and handed it over. The receptionist scanned it and smiled.

"Right, I'll keep hold of this, if you could just write your number on the top of it, one of the partners will phone you for a telephone interview. If they like you, they'll discuss potential dates and rates of pay."

Yasuhara was going to question the pay, but chose not to. If they wanted to pay him, he would take it and use it to buy Mai a new laptop. If only so he never had to hear her complain about it again.

He scribbled down his number and handed it over.

"Thanks, we'll be in touch by the end of the week."

"Thank you very much."

Yasuhara strode out, smiling. That had not been too bad. He checked his list for the next company and started on his way.

* * *

"Why are you phoning me?" Yasuhara demanded of Mai very early on Wednesday morning.

"Because Masako is busy in rehearsals! I want to gush about last night!"

Last night? What was last night? Oh. Valentine's day. Of course.

Yasuhara wiped the sleepy dust from his eyes and sat up in bed. He put his specs on and groaned at the time on the clock. Six thirty three.

"You realise it is the middle of the night?"

"I couldn't sleep. You're lucky I waited this long."

"Okay, sure. Gush away."

"So Luella and Martin went out for the evening. Leaving me with the twins and they cooked me dinner. I think Oliver was going to cook alone to be romantic or something, but Gene thinks Oliver's cooking is awful. So I was sat at the table watching them bicker. They made pasta and vegetables and pesto and it was really good. Then we watched a film together and as Gene was complaining about being a third wheel and all we let him pick the film. He picked the Martian, because Oliver liked the book so much. Did I mention that? Well he did."

And she went on. And on. And on.

Yasuhara fell asleep sitting up in his bed with the phone vaguely held against his ear. When he woke, Mai had hung up.

 **Mai: I'll tell you later…**

The text was left on his phone. Yasuhara cursed and hastened to reply, hoping he had not upset Mai.

 **Yasuhara: Sorry! I didn't mean to!**

 **Mai: It's fine! But Madoka and Lin are still asleep after last night… They didn't really let me sleep either…**

 **Yasuhara: Eww, really?**

 **Mai: Yeah… Real freaks in the sheets.**

 **Yasuhara: And you still want to stay with them?**

 **Mai: Better than a home!**

 **Yasuhara: Really?**

 **Mai: Yeah… Though I now wish I'd taken up the offer to sleep over at the twin's… Though maybe Luella and Martin would have been worse…**

 **Yasuhara: Eww. Just no. I don't want that mental image in my head.**

 **Mai: What? The mental image of two old flabby people doing it?**

 **Yasuhara: Stop…**

 **Mai: Yeah that's gonna put me off my breakfast.**

 **Yasuhara: Good.**

* * *

Green and Alliott phoned him back on Thursday.

"Hi, is this Osamu Yasuhara speaking?"

"Yes, speaking."

Yasuhara put his coffee down and waited for the man to speak.

"My name is Mr Pilcher, I am one of the partners here at Green and Alliott law firm. I understand you want some work experience?"

"Yes, I would very much so. I'm looking mainly for the summer."

"Yes, I see you are an A Level student right now with good grades." He hummed at the other end of the line. "Why do you want to be a lawyer?"

"To give people a voice. Not everyone can argue their case and I want to help them."

"I see." Mr Pilcher hummed again. "What achievement are you most proud of in your life?"

Yasuhara thought for a moment before answering.

"While my own personal achievements are something I am proud of, the thing I think I'm most proud of was tutoring a friend of mine. She is the year below and struggled with writing History essays. I assisted her in getting her grade from an A to an A* in her January mocks. It sounds like a minor change, but she had been convinced she could not do any better than that A she had been stuck with for the last two years. I am proud that I changed that."

"Yes, I can imagine that is quite rewarding. Can you give me an example of when you've had to work to a tight or sudden deadline?"

"Yes, I can. I was very ill over Christmas, I was in hospital with no expectation to be released before my own January mocks. I found out a few days a few days before my first exams that I would be allowed to take them at all. While my teachers knew about my situation, I did not want to give up so easily. I dealt with this short time scale by prioritising what I didn't know in my revision. A mixture of that and working my butt off resulted in the scores I put on my CV."

"Impressive. Finally, what is the worst mistake you ever made and what did you learn from it?"

Yasuhara's breath hitched.

"I hurt a friend badly. I won't go into the details, but let's say we are definitely not friends now," Yasuhara said. "I did not immediately realise what I had done at the time. When I did realise… I realised just how much my words and actions have consequences. Not only on what happens but people's opinions. How they think of you later. I also learnt there are some things that saying sorry is not enough for."

"I see." There was a small pause. "Well, I will get back to you soon. I hope you understand that we have a lot of people who want these spots, so if you aren't successful, then don't think badly of yourself. There a lot of talented young people out there."

"I understand, thank you so much for taking the time to call me."

The call ended. Yasuhara breathed out. As the only firm so far to have got back to him, he hoped that Green andAlliott would give him a positive answer.

* * *

Yasuhara hated being ill. But he especially hated being ill and stuck on a stuffy train with a distinct lack of tissues and coffee.

Deciding he should not suffer alone, he texted Mai.

 **Yasuhara: I'm sick. Give me sympathy.**

 **Mai: Aww poor you! What's wrong?**

 **Yasuhara: Just a cold. But I am definitely dying.**

 **Mai: *cough* Man flu *cough***

 **Yasuhara: Cheers. I'm on the train back now.**

 **Mai: Have you got a time for tomorrow?**

 **Yasuhara: Not yet… Shit. I will do that now.**

Yasuhara groaned and found Eugene's number. He thought for a moment about calling, but chose to text instead. He was not up a phone call right now.

 **Yasuhara: What time and where tomorrow?**

Eugene was quick to reply, but that did not concern Yasuhara. He would be glad to get this conversation done with.

 **Eugene: 11AM at that cafe we went to all that time ago?**

 **Yasuhara: Sure. See you then.**

He took a deep, calming breath and switched back to Mai's conversation.

 **Yasuhara: 11AM.**

 **Mai: Great. I presume we'll be going a bit earlier?**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, just in case. You sure you still want to come?**

 **Mai: I think it's for the best.**

Yasuhara privately agreed, but he did not want to pressure Mai.

 **Yasuhara: Great, see you later then!**

He let his head sink down onto the table in front of him and hoped that coffee would miraculously appear out of thin air.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well... Yeah... Please review?**


	36. Part 3: Chapter 36

Yasuhara woke up on Sunday feeling like death warmed up. From John's expression, he must have looked like it too.

"No, you're ill, you are not leaving the room apart from to go to the toilet," John insisted.

"But…"

"But what?" John demanded. "I am going to go and make you a hot drink. And you are going to stay there and get better."

"You'll be late," Yasuhara mumbled.

"What?" John said from the doorway.

"Church… You'll be late…"

"It's okay, I'll stay here and look after you," John insisted.

"John, I'm fine, I need to get up."

"Yasuhara, you barely slept a wink and I know that to be true because you kept me up. Now stay there, let me get you a drink and we'll put Netflix on or something."

Yasuhara did not argue. John left and closed the door behind him. Yasuhara grabbed his phone and dialed Mai's number.

"I'm sorry! I'll be ready soon!" Mai's urgent voice said from the other end.

"John isn't letting me leave the room," Yasuhara mumbled. "He says I'm too ill."

"What? But… Um. Are you?"

"Well, I didn't really sleep a lot and—" he sneezed, "—I'm on my second toilet roll for blowing my nose. But I'm fine. I'll wait until John falls asleep and I'll sneak out."

"You're an idiot."

"What?"

"Yasuhara you sound like crap, listen to John."

"But—"

"Gene can wait, I'll deal with him."

"But—"

"Look, this meeting was a bad idea in the first place, it's a worse idea if you're ill," Mai stated. "I'll deal with Gene, we'll do it next week."

"But he'll think I'm faking."

"I'll speak with him. It'll be fine. Now you concentrate on getting better."

Mai hung up.

Yasuhara turned over and groaned into his pillow, then hastily reached for something to blow his nose on. John returned with a cup of tea and some toast. Yasuhara took it without argument and settled in for a long day of feeling crap.

* * *

He was not better the next day and so was forced to take the day off school. He had expected angry texts from Eugene calling him a coward for not coming, but whatever Mai had said had kept him quiet.

On Tuesday, Yasuhara thanked Mai profusely and wanted to seek Eugene out to explain. But whenever he found him, Eugene was always in the presence of his twin. Yasuhara had long since lost his animosity towards Oliver. In truth, they now both wanted the same thing. For Eugene to be safe and happy.

Mai reassured Yasuhara frequently that the meeting had been rearranged for the following Sunday and that everything was going to be okay. She followed every reassurance with a question about what he wanted for his birthday, which was the following week.

Yasuhara had not even thought about his birthday. It did not matter very much any more. It was just another day.

But Mai wanted to celebrate and he would let her. It would not be so bad as it was not like they could do much anyway. His birthday was a Wednesday, so they would not be allowed out or anything. At best, Mai would get a cake and let him win at table tennis.

A more pressing issue was Sunday. Yasuhara wished that he had met Eugene the previous weekend and that he had not been ill. Then the whole thing would be over. He would move on. Eugene would move on.

Sunday could not come soon enough.

* * *

Waking early on Sunday proved to be a problem for Yasuhara. It was too early for breakfast and yet now that he had woken, sleep evaded him. He lay, staring blindly at the ceiling, thinking about the day ahead.

John was still asleep, snoring softly and drooling into his pillow. Yasuhara would not get up now as he would only disturb his friend's slumber. Instead, he reached for his glasses and a book.

John woke an hour later.

"You been awake long?"

"Not really," Yasuhara lied.

"How long til breakfast?"

"Hmm," Yasuhara glanced at his phone, "About twenty minutes."

"Might go and shower then," John said.

Yasuhara bookmarked his page.

"I might join you." He blinked. "I mean shower too, not join you in the shower."

John laughed, unconcerned.

After showering, they headed to breakfast together.

"What are you up to today?" John asked as they took their seats.

Yasuhara finished his mouthful of cereal before answering.

"Hanging out with Mai," he lied. His chest ached at lying to John so much, but it was to keep him blissfully unaware.

"Cool."

"You've got church?"

"Yeah, soon as I missed last week I really should go this week. Mrs Rice will be worried about me."

"Who?"

"She's a regular who I often sit next too."

"Ooh, getting in with the ladies," Yasuhara teased.

"She is nearing ninety," John deadpanned. "Full of great stories though, and she mutters rude things a lot too."

"Rude things?"

"She has a… A bit of a dirty mind," John said, blushing. "She listens to the sermons and adds to them."

"Sounds hilarious."

John looked as if he wanted to agree, but dared not to. He was saved from speaking, however, as Mai had arrived.

"Hey, how are you two?" she asked.

But Yasuhara and John were both amazed by the sheer quantity of food on her plate.

"How are you going to finish all of that?"

"I am a growing girl, I need to eat a lot," Mai insisted.

"Mai, you haven't grown since you were twelve," Yasuhara said. "You've shown me photos."

"Yeah, well, I'm hungry. Leave me alone."

"At this rate, people will think you're the pregnant one, not that other girl," Yasuhara muttered.

"Oh shut up, I don't need that kind of rumour going around," Mai retorted.

"And you're not pregnant?"

"No," Mai shook her head in disbelief, "I'm just hungry."

"Are you sure?" Yasuhara asked, knowing it would aggravate Mai.

"Yes I am sure!"

Mai scowled at Yasuhara and turned pointedly to John.

"How are you John?"

"Aww, Mai," Yasuhara whined.

Mai held up a hand to block Yasuhara's face.

"I'm fine," John replied, bemused.

"Mai, please don't ignore me."

"John, can you hear something?"

But Mai was smiling.

"Mai, let Yasuhara be," John said.

"Fine, just because you asked nicely."

Mai lowered her hand.

"So when's it due?" Yasuhara asked, grinning.

Mai tried to slap him, but he dodged.

"I'm going to go and put some boots on and grab my coat," Mai said as she stood up. "If you are going to stop being a dick, then I'll accompany you to town."

Yasuhara decided to behave.

Mai met him by the gates and they began the long walk with plenty of time to spare.

"I'm sorry, about breakfast, I was just…"

"Nervous?" Mai provided.

"Yeah."

"I kind of guessed to be honest," she said. "I am too, a bit. But it's a public place so it should be okay."

"Yeah…"

They walked in silence after that.

"What do you want?" Yasuhara asked as they entered the coffee shop.

"Pot of tea please," Mai replied. "We're early enough for that."

Mai glanced around and picked a table, while Yasuhara bought their drinks.

"Where should I sit then?" Yasuhara asked as he deposited Mai's teapot, teacup and milk on her table.

"Well, from here, I can see all of those tables," she replied, pointing. "So I would pick one of those."

"But then you're really obvious to Gene?"

"Then just tell him from the start," Mai said. "I am not here to listen in, I am here to make sure you don't kill each other."

"Is that what you think of me?" Yasuhara asked, a little more seriously than he originally intended.

"What? No! Of course not," Mai said quickly. "I…"

"Sorry, I know. I'm on edge."

"I'd noticed. Go nab a table and chill out. Read your book or something."

Yasuhara took his coffee and picked a table where he could see Mai. All he could do now, was wait.

Eugene was ten minutes early. He spotted Yasuhara and Mai with ease. Mai waved and smiled, then returned to her book.

Yasuhara, on the other hand, put his book away.

"You brought Mai," Eugene said as he took his seat.

"I did," Yasuhara agreed. "Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"I don't know," Yasuhara said.

"I see."

Eugene took a sip of his drink and waited for Yasuhara to speak.

"What drink did you get?" Yasuhara asked, not making eye contact.

"Mocha," Eugene replied.

"Any good?"

"It's alright."

Yasuhara fell silent, but Eugene took up the cause.

"How have you been? No longer ill?"

"No, I'm better now. I am sorry about that, I tried to come but-"

"Mai explained that John had you practically restrained. I didn't realise you were so keen to see me."

"I did not want to let you down again."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Why won't you look at me?" Eugene asked after taking another sip.

"Sorry."

"Then look at me." Yasuhara thought Eugene's voice was oddly neutral.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"B-Because I can't look at you without thinking of the awful things I did." The words burst from Yasuhara's mouth, which he then clamped shut.

"I think I understand that feeling, just a little."

Surprised, Yasuhara looked up.

"How?"

"I don't know why I stopped eating. I knew it was stupid and wasn't going to benefit me in any way. I knew it was wrong and yet I did it. It's a control thing. We both have- _had_ control issues."

"Oh."

"So," Eugene's tone changed entirely, "Have you looked at universities yet?"

Yasuhara was taken aback, but rolled with it.

"Only a little," he replied.

"Dad has been helping us with things for uni," Eugene went on. "Oxbridge would be great of course, but I've looked at a few others."

"You're considering Oxbridge?"

"You're not?"

"I'm not good enough—"

But Yasuhara was interrupted by his phone ringing.

"Sorry," he muttered, pulling it out of his pocket and glancing at the caller ID: Mother. He cancelled the call and put his phone down.

"You are good enough," Eugene said, as if the phone had not interrupted.

"No, I'm not. Besides, if I go to a London University I could live at home," Yasuhara said.

His phone began ringing again.

"You can take it, if you want," Eugene said and Yasuhara sensed no hurt in his voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go for it."

Yasuhara answered the call.

"Hi?"

" _Osamu, I'm sorry to call you like this,"_ his mother's voice said. " _But… I need to talk to you about something. It's important."_

Yasuhara thought she sounded upset, but he could not be sure.

"Okay?"

" _Do you have a minute?"_

"Yeah."

" _Your father and I had a discussion last night, about your birthday, and well…"_ He heard her take a deep breath. " _... I found out what happened to you at Christmas. I'm so sorry. If I had known."_

"Mum, it's fine."

" _It isn't. If… Well, I was going to wait until you were eighteen. But after your father's comments last night…"_

"Tell me what?" Yasuhara asked, frowning.

" _Your father fears publicity, he always has,"_ his mother went on. " _But… There is no easy way of saying this. But after what happened at Christmas, I think it's for the best that you know."_

"What's going on?" Yasuhara demanded, ignoring Eugene's concerned look.

" _He's not your real father."_

Yasuhara's stomach dropped and his mouth fell open. Disbelief filled his brain. But why would his mother lie to him?

" _I was stupid. It was short affair but it resulted in... Your father accepted you as his own to avoid scandal. That's why he's always been…"_

"An arsehole to me."

" _Osamu, that isn't fair_ —"

"Isn't fair? It wasn't even my fault! You're always sticking up for him!"

" _Osamu—_ "

"No, I don't want to hear it!"

Yasuhara hung up, dropping his phone onto the table and balling his hands up into fists.

"Are you okay?" Eugene asked.

Yasuhara had forgotten Eugene was there.

"Shit. No. I can't do this right now."

He dropped his head into his hands and stared at the table. It explained so much.

"But—"

"He's not my real father."

The words sounded alien to his ears. Yet it made so much sense.

"What?"

"He's not my real father. That's why he was such an arse. Why he shipped me off. Why he didn't care after that bitch…"

Yasuhara looked up to see Eugene reached a hand over to comfort him. Yasuhara flinched away and Eugene withdrew his hand, looking hurt.

"I can't do this right now," Yasuhara said. "I'm sorry."

He stood up, with every intention of leaving.

"Please—"

"Gene, no. I don't want to hurt you. This was a bad idea to begin with and-"

"You aren't going to hurt me," Eugene insisted. "Mai is here, remember? Now tell me what's wrong Yasuhara."

Yasuhara. The name was not truly his. The name everyone knew him by was false. He glanced over at Mai, who had yet to notice anything was wrong. But she was still here. Yasuhara took a deep breath and screwed his eyes up, trying to think straight. Eugene wanted to know what was wrong. He knew he should just leave. But did he have any right to refuse Eugene anything?

Yasuhara sat back down and took another deep breath before summarizing the entire issue as succinctly as possible.

"My mother had an affair. My father is not my father. He's punished me for it ever since and she chose to tell me about it now because she found out about my suicide attempt."

"Oh shit."

Eugene patted the back of Yasuhara's hand. Yasuhara did not shrug him off.

He wanted the comfort.

* * *

 **Author's note: So this is late because I'm no longer in the UK... I'm in the US, California! So that's my excuse for all 3 of you that care :) So yeah... Enjoy!**


	37. Part 3: Chapter 37

"Is everything okay?"

Both boys looked around to see Mai standing beside them.

"My mother called," Yasuhara said. "It was not good news. I… I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Can you tell her?" he asked Eugene. "I need to wash my face or something."

Yasuhara left without waiting for a response. He darted into the toilets and splashed cold water on his face. He stared into the mirror at his reflection, looking for any hint that his mother had lied.

Or made a mistake. She might have just thought it had been because of the affair. Perhaps his father was his father. But he shared no facial features with his father. He was a different stature and build.

"Are you okay?"

Eugene stood by the door.

"You shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be alone with you."

"Well Mai isn't allowed in the men's loos."

"But…"

Yasuhara backed away into the wall as Eugene stepped forwards, arms reaching out.

"You're not going to hurt me, you're upset right now," Eugene said, his voice level and so calm it was scary. He stepped forwards again, leaving Yasuhara nowhere to go. "Let me help."

Eugene stepped forwards again and enveloped Yasuhara in a loose hug.

Yasuhara froze, scared of moving, but Eugene did not move away. So he melted into the contact and let his tears flow.

* * *

"Was Gene okay?" Mai asked as they walked back. "He insisted on checking on you in the bathroom…"

"He was fine. Had it more together than I did. I don't understand, why would he do that? Why would he try and comfort _me_?"

"I don't know. He… He did seem a bit off. Almost blank. I'm sure he's fine," Mai mumbled. "Are you okay?"

"No," Yasuhara replied. "I'm not. I just… I don't know how to comprehend it."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not," Yasuhara said. "I don't want that man as my father and yet…"

"You do at the same time."

Yasuhara nodded, sniffing. He wanted to sleep and forget all of this ever happened.

"What… What about your real father?" Mai asked. "Did your Mum say anything about him?"

"No. But I know she was in Japan around that time. They moved here while she was pregnant."

"Do you care? About him?"

"Right now, no…"

Mai fell silent.

* * *

 **Eugene: Hey, how are you doing?**

Yasuhara stared at the text, dumbstruck. Meeting with Eugene was one thing, this was... Was Eugene worried about him?

 **Yasuhara: Better, not great.**

Not lying was important. Yasuhara's counsellor had mentioned that, to gain trust and understanding, you had to be open with other people.

 **Eugene: I'm glad you're feeling better!**

 **Eugene: Hey, I heard a rumour that Mai was pregnant, any idea if it's true?**

 **Yasuhara: Where did you hear that?**

Yasuhara slapped his hand to his forehead. Surely his little joke at breakfast had not been taken seriously?

 **Eugene: Masako told me, who heard it from a girl in her drama class, who heard it from their friend who boards?**

 **Yasuhara: Jeesh. I made a joke at breakfast because Mai was eating a lot and… Eugh. Mai is going to kill me.**

 **Eugene: Nah, you'll be fine, she can take a joke.**

 **Yasuhara: Really? I think I'm dead.**

 **Eugene: Drama queen.**

 **Yasuhara: She will decapitate me with her table tennis bat.**

It felt wrong, laughing and joking with Eugene like this. But Yasuhara did not want to stop it. He liked it. It was just like the good old days when everything was joyous and free.

 **Eugene: Nah, too many witnesses.**

 **Yasuhara: You think anyone is going to argue with Mai if she's wielding a weapon?**

 **Yasuhara: Would you argue with Mai?**

But… Eugene had started this. Which made it okay, right?

 **Eugene: Of course I would, I would just pretend to be Noll. Easy peasy.**

 **Yasuhara: Well the rest of us mere mortals are scared of that demon.**

 **Yasuhara: John and I talked about exorcising her…**

 **Eugene: Really?**

 **Yasuhara: Have you played Mai? When she is on form… It's like she's possessed!**

 **Yasuhara: You weren't there, man… You weren't there.**

 **Eugene: You are such a drama queen.**

 **Yasuhara: One may be a traumatised drama queen…**

Yasuhara laughed out loud.

"You okay?"

He looked around. He had forgotten John was in the room.

"Yeah, sorry."

"You're allowed to laugh, jeesh."

Yasuhara smiled and turned back to his phone.

 **Eugene: How did I ever put up with you?**

 **Yasuhara: No idea.**

"Do you mind if we head to sleep soon?" John asked. "It is getting late."

Yasuhara glanced at the time.

"Shit, yes, of course."

 **Yasuhara: Sorry, John wants to sleep now. It's been nice chatting!**

 **Eugene: What does John have to do with it?**

 **Yasuhara: We share a room now.**

 **Eugene: Because of your what happened before Christmas?**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah.**

 **Eugene: That's nice of him.**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, it is.**

 **Eugene: Night then, talk soon!**

 **Yasuhara: Night!**

Eugene wanted to talk again. That fact circled in Yasuhara's mind as he lay down to sleep.

Eugene wanted to talk again and his father was not his real father. It felt like a crazy dream.

* * *

Yasuhara did not have the chance to speak to Eugene alone the next day. Not that he specifically looked for him.

Mai, on the other hand, barely left him alone. The moment he left a class, she was there to walk him to his next one, asking if he was okay and if he needed anything. Yasuhara found it endearing that Mai cared so much, but her attentions were a little wearing at times.

He had thought the rumours might have angered Mai, but considering the rest of the circumstances, it seemed she could not bring herself to be angry with him. Despite the fact that he deserved it.

"I am the Virgin Mary," she would reply in a sarcastic voice if anyone asked.

Oliver took the rumours a little differently. When asked, he merely raised an eyebrow as if to say 'just how stupid are you?'.

By the end of the day, the rumours had died down. For which, Yasuhara was glad.

At the end of that night's table tennis matches, Yasuhara discovered he had a text.

 **Eugene: I got confused for Noll today.**

 **Yasuhara: So? Doesn't that happen often?**

 **Eugene: Not so much since he got glasses. But I might have borrowed his spare pair to confuse people…**

 **Yasuhara: Oh dear… What happened?**

 **Eugene: They asked about this pregnancy rumour crap, right?**

 **Eugene: So I played along...**

 **Yasuhara: What did you do?**

 **Eugene: I turned to this guy and was like 'I thought the fact that hand holding made a girl pregnant was a lie!' and he looked at me blankly and so I went on 'how do you really make a girl pregnant? Is it the kissing thing?' and at that point he realised I was screwing with him and walked away…**

 **Yasuhara: You didn't...**

 **Eugene: I did. His face was priceless!**

 **Yasuhara: I bet! Shame you didn't get a picture!**

 **Eugene: I wish I had!**

"Who are you talking to?" Mai asked.

"No one."

Mai raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really? You're just giggling to yourself?"

"I'm not giggling," Yasuhara objected. "I was chuckling in a manly fashion."

"Sure you were." Mai rolled her eyes. "Go and shower Mr Manly Chuckle. You're all sweaty."

"Am I? Don't you like my manly odour?"

Yasuhara reached forwards and grabbed Mai, drawing her into a tight hug.

"Eww! Get off! You're gross!" Mai squealed, pushing away. "Go and shower!"

"Alright, I'm going," Yasuhara said between laughs.

"I'm going to have to shower now too," Mai complained.

"Well you shouldn't sweat so much then," Yasuhara teased.

"It's your sweat!" Mai pouted after him.

Yasuhara walked back to his and John's room and grabbed his towel and pyjamas.

 **Yasuhara: I just almost beat Mai again - she won by 1 point - and then I wiped my sweat off on her :D**

 **Eugene: Eww, you're gross.**

 **Yasuhara: Yeah, gotta shower now! Later!**

He left his phone on his bed and headed to the bathroom. He picked a spare cubicle and bundled inside.

Soon he was standing under the hot stream of water. He poured a dollop of two-in-one shampoo and conditioner into his palm and rubbed it into his hair. His fingers scratched at his scalp, massaging the foam into the roots.

A thought struck him. How many days had it been? Two? Three? Yasuhara had discovered the disadvantage of sharing a room; wet dreams.

It was easy enough to manage as long as he remembered to _deal_ with things every few days. His only choices were the toilet or the shower and well, he was alone in the bathroom now… His hand reached down and took hold of himself. He just needed to get it over with. Preferably without thinking about Eugene. That latter part was harder though. It made him harder too.

Memories of kissing Eugene against the tree in the park, of sucking him off, of seeing him unravel… It fueled his fantasies as his hand pumped.

He pushed away the sick feeling of guilt. He was not hurting anyone by thinking of Eugene. It got the chore over with quicker.

At least that's what he told himself.

* * *

Yasuhara expected the conversations with Eugene to stop after a few days. Eugene was likely just being polite and one day they would stop and that would be it.

But they did not. Eugene continued to text him. Yasuhara never initiated the conversations, he did not dare do that. But he always responded.

Eugene was like a drug. A drug that he thought he had been weaned off of. But apparently not. Nevertheless, he could not bring himself to cut off contact. Everything would be easier if they were at least on friendly terms.

It would be easier on Mai too.

If Eugene wanted to pull away, Yasuhara would not stop him.

* * *

On Wednesday evening, Yasuhara's birthday, he sat down to dinner with John and Mai.

They had managed to procure a tray bake cake that the other students were staring at jealously. The trio gorged themselves until they were full, then distributed the cake to the remaining students.

"You have to let me win today!" Yasuhara declared as they commandeered the table tennis table. "It's my birthday."

Before Mai could protest, however, Yasuhara's phone began to ring. The caller ID gave him no clue as to who was calling.

"Hello?" he said, tentatively.

"Ah, Mr Yasuhara, it's Mr Pilcher from—"

"Green and Alliott law firm," Yasuhara finished. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. I was just calling about your request for work experience."

"Yes?"

"Well, I'm afraid—"

Yasuhara's heart sunk. Not today. He did not want any more bad news. Especially not today.

"—That you won't be able to shadow one of our senior lawyers," Mr Pilcher went on. "But we have just hired a young woman who is willing to take you on. She has a keen interest in pro bono and difficult-to-prove cases. All things considering this may be for the best, as she'll be able to give you better advice about University. What do you say?"

"Yes! Please!"

"Excellent." Yasuhara heard a chuckle. "I'll email you the details tomorrow then."

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

"It's quite alright. Goodbye."

Yasuhara hung up and punched the air. He grinned, ecstatic and overwhelmed.

"What is it?" Mai asked.

"I have work experience! In London! With a decent law firm!"

Yasuhara hugged Mai, then John and then a random first year who happened to walk past. Once he had released the poor freaked out child, they began their game. John and Yasuhara versus Mai. But Yasuhara was on cloud nine. He had no care in the world right now. It was the best birthday present ever.

* * *

"Oi! Yasuhara!"

Yasuhara spun around to see Eugene racing towards him.

"Hey," he replied, looking around for Oliver or Mai.

"I'm alone," Eugene said. "I just wanted to give you this." He held out a small white envelope.

"Thanks?"

"It's just a birthday card," Eugene muttered. "I wanted to give it to you yesterday, but I didn't manage to."

"Thanks."

Yasuhara slipped the card into his bag to look at later.

"Mai said you got work experience in London?"

"Yeah," Yasuhara said, grinning. "With a real law firm. I'll be shadowing their newest lawyer and helping out where I can."

"That's great!"

"It is," Yasuhara agreed. "I'm so relieved that I got something!"

"I always believed you would," Eugene said. "Anyway, I better dash off, don't want to be late!"

"Yeah, see you later!"

"Definitely."

Eugene flashed him one last dazzling smile and ran off again. Yasuhara watched him go, not bothering to hide the smile of his own.

* * *

 **Author's note: So I forgot to update yesterday again. I'm officially useless at this lark. The quality of the writing is gonna go downhill from here. Like I tried I really did but its just crap... So please don't get your hopes up for the last few chapters...**


	38. Part 3: Chapter 38

**Eugene: Are you free this Sunday?**

 **Yasuhara: Maybe, why?**

 **Eugene: Well, everyone else is busy. I'm lonely. I thought maybe we could get another drink together.**

Yasuhara stared at the text. If he did not know better, he would have assumed that Eugene was asking him on a date. But that was ludicrous. They were barely friends. Eugene was right though. John would be at church. Mai would be seeing Oliver. Everyone else would be busy.

So they could see each other.

 **Yasuhara: Sounds great, what time?**

 **Eugene: 11?**

 **Yasuhara: See you then.**

* * *

He did not tell Mai or John where he was going. Or even that he was going. It was not like he had lied to them. They did not ask, so he did not tell.

However, he was not sure what he would have said if they had asked. Soon as it was definitely not a date, Yasuhara felt no pressure about his appearance. The fact that he worse his nicest shirt and shaved was a complete coincidence. Looking his best made him feel good. There was no ulterior motive involved.

As he walked into town that morning, Yasuhara checked over his shoulder frequently, in case Mai or someone else had spotted him. But he made it to town unnoticed.

Eugene had beaten him to the coffee shop.

"Hey," Yasuhara greeted him. "What do you want? My treat."

"Why do you always do that? You always used to pay for everything."

"It's not my money," Yasuhara shrugged, "It's my Dad's so I may as well use it to make people happy. So what do you want?"

"Mocha please," Eugene replied with a carefree smile.

Yasuhara bought their drinks and took a seat opposite Eugene.

"You look nice," he said as he passed the mocha over.

"I know," Eugene replied, smiling. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"I've got to ask," Yasuhara said "How often do you steal your brother's glasses?"

"About as often as he forgets to wear them."

"Is that a lot?"

"Yeah, he isn't great at remembering them. As he doesn't strictly need them for reading, he often forgets." Eugene smiled bashfully.

"I can't imagine not wearing mine anymore," Yasuhara said. "Like, my face feels empty without them."

"Yeah..."

Eugene took a sip of his mocha.

"I liked your card, by the way," Yasuhara said.

"Oh good."

"I didn't get many, so it's up on my bedside cabinet."

Yasuhara blushed and looked away. Why did he have to sound so attention seeking?

"Who else got you one?"

"Mai, John, one from my family."

"Have you spoken to your family? Since last week?"

"No," Yasuhara admitted. "My mother tried to call a few more times, but…"

"You avoided it?"

"Yeah," Yasuhara said, nodding.

"You should talk to her," Eugene advised.

"I will, soon," Yasuhara promised. "But, I don't know... I need to get my head around it first."

"Yeah, I get it," Eugene said softly.

"Though it's made me change my mind about what I want," Yasuhara went on. "About uni and stuff. I don't think I want to stay at home any more. Maybe I could go abroad..."

"Yeah maybe, that'd be really cool!"

"It would be," Yasuhara agreed. "I could learn a new language and everything."

They chatted for about an hour before Eugene excused himself to go to the toilet. Yasuhara assumed that that would be the end of their meeting. Yet when Eugene came back, he seemed to have no inclination to leave.

"Do you fancy going for a walk?" Eugene asked. "Get some fresh air?"

"Sure."

Yasuhara jumped up and pulled his jacket on before following Eugene from the coffee shop. They walked side by side, hands stuffed into pockets.

"The daffodils are pretty," Yasuhara commented. The daffodils? Really?

"Yeah, they are. We've got loads of bluebells at the back of our garden, Mum loves them."

"My mother likes lily of the valley," Yasuhara said. "Reminds her of fairies."

"That's nice," Eugene said.

They walked in silence for a while, neither asking about their intended route. They just walked.

The park loomed ahead and only then did Yasuhara realise where they were. The tall trees that surrounded the park stood silently, judging him like sentinels.

"I should probably get back," he said. "It's—"

"What? Why? I thought we were having fun!" Eugene pouted.

"But... The park?" Yasuhara pointed with a limp finger.

"Yeah?"

"Last time I was there, I got punched in the face."

"Okay, I promise not to punch you in the face," Eugene said, laughing.

Yasuhara joined in with the laughter, but did not feel entirely at ease.

Eugene began walking towards the park, looked over his shoulder and waved Yasuhara over to join him.

"It'll be fine."

Yasuhara wanted to believe him. So he joined Eugene and together they strolled into the park.

The edge of the park was lined with patches of the beautiful spring flowers that they had seen throughout the town. Daffodils and crocuses. Tulips and lily of the valley. Yasuhara focused on them to try and stem his fear. He should not feel this nervous.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure? You seem on edge."

"I'm fine."

Eugene did not question it, for which Yasuhara was grateful.

"You should have seen the park in winter," Eugene commented. "It looked like it had been frosted. Everything was icy, like a Christmas card."

"Hmm."

"I wonder what Mai and Oliver are up to," Eugene went on. "I'm so glad they got together properly. Did Mai tell you about going to the Harry Potter Studio Tour thing?"

Yasuhara shook his head. Somewhere along the line, his and Mai's lives had become so busy she had not had time to tell him about her day out.

"She came back so happy, like… It was ridiculous! I think even Noll enjoyed himself!"

Yasuhara turned his head and frowned at Eugene, hoping he had the answer to the question that had just occurred to him.

"Why does Mai call him Oliver? Not 'Noll' like the rest of you?"

Eugene laughed.

"Hasn't she told you?"

Yasuhara shook his head again.

"When we were younger, maybe… Two, Three years ago? Maybe more than that now, I'm not sure. Anyway, Mai did not immediately like Noll, she didn't understand his offishness. She thought he was up himself and snobby and all that." Eugene chuckled. "And one day, she was like 'Noll? More like Naru the narcissist!'."

Yasuhara laughed softly at that.

"What happened after that?"

"Well, Noll basically proved her wrong and she was so mortified about the whole ordeal that she refused to call him Noll from then on in case she slipped up."

"Really? She's such a…"

"Hopeless. But I think that's what got Noll interested in her in the first place," Eugene mused. "No one had ever spoken to him like that before. So he paid attention to her…"

"Sounds like some weird romance novel."

"Maybe we should write it," Eugene said, giggling again. "Make it a fanfiction and see if Mai finds it."

"If she found out it was us, she actually would murder us. Mostly me," Yasuhara said with a fake groan. "I'm too young to die!"

"How would she ever find out it was us?" Eugene asked. "Unless you confessed!"

"I share a room with John, I know all about confession," Yasuhara said, smiling.

Eugene laughed.

"So how would we start… Once upon a time, there were two young idiots."

"Who refused to admit their feelings for each other."

"And thus chaos ensued."

"That would make a great summary," Yasuhara said. "We'll put that as the blurb."

"Perfect," Eugene said.

They had reached the end of the path they were walking down. They stopped, Yasuhara turning to face Eugene.

"What do you think would happen at the end?" Yasuhara asked.

"What do you mean?" Eugene replied, frowning.

"Of the story, where would we finish it?"

"When they get together, of course."

"With a kiss?" Yasuhara suggested, aware just how close he was currently standing to Eugene.

Eugene's eyes flickered to Yasuhara's lips.

Yasuhara gulped. Scandalous thoughts filling his mind, no longer held at bay by his fear of hurting Eugene. They had been so comfortable together all day. He had nothing to worry about anymore.

He leant forwards and pressed his lips to Eugene's.

There was a moment's pause and then Eugene returned the kiss.

Yasuhara had forgotten how soft Eugene's lips were, how warm they were, how wonderful kissing was… There was nothing in the world but him and Eugene.

Then a memory slapped him in the face. The last time he had kissed Eugene in this park. Yasuhara recoiled. He should not be doing this.

"You can't…" he mumbled. "This is a bad idea."

He pushed Eugene away and held him at arm's length.

"But… It's fine..."

"Gene!" Yasuhara insisted. "I… I did dreadful things to you! We can't kiss! It's wrong! You should hate me!"

Yasuhara wrenched himself from Eugene and stepped away.

"I don't hate you," Eugene mumbled.

"This is crazy! I raped you!" Yasuhara yelled back. "What are you even doing here?"

"I..."

Yasuhara noticed the dead look in Eugene's eyes. Like Eugene was not even in his own body, but a puppet being controlled somehow. Yasuhara stepped away again. He had to. He had to pull away. This was madness. Utter madness.

Who even knew what Eugene was thinking?

But had his therapist not told him about abusers and their victims? That the victims saw change and flocked back because they understand the world from under their abuser's grasp.

Is that what Eugene was doing?

It was not 'love' or anything other positive emotion… It was Eugene looking for something familiar.

He wanted to be with Eugene. But he knew it was not right. It was not good for either of them. Yasuhara had avoided his friends to be here. Gone against his better judgement to see Eugene.

"You should leave," Yasuhara stated firmly, his hands balling into fists.

Tears had risen to Eugene's eyes. Yasuhara hated himself for them. How would he ever redeem himself now?

"What…?"

The flood banks broke and tears crept down Eugene's face.

"Just fuck off!"

Eugene turned and ran. Yasuhara sank to the ground, finally letting his own tears fall. Disgust bubbled through his blood.

He screamed, trying to release some of the feeling.

But it just made his throat hurt.

* * *

"Yasuhara? What are you doing out here! It's freezing!"

It was Mai's voice. But it sounded very far away.

"Let's get you inside."

Small hands helped him up and passed him something. His glasses. He put them on, hands acting automatically. Looking around, he saw the school gates. How had he got here? He did not know.

"Yasuhara? How long were you there?"

He tried to work it out. But his brain felt slow. Mai signed them in and guided him to the dining hall. She made two hot drinks and forced one into Yasuhara's hand.

"What happened? And what does it have to do with Eugene?"

Eugene's name acted like a trigger on Yasuhara. Dry sobs wracked his body, too dehydrated to cry.

"Okay," Mai went on. "I'm going to tell you what I know. Eugene came home about an hour or so ago, crying and then puked. All Oliver and I got out of him was that you were a bastard."

Yasuhara found his phone and unlocked it. He located the conversation with Eugene and scrolled up to the beginning. He then passed his phone to Mai and let her read it.

"Oh…" she mumbled as her eyes scanned the device.

Her thumb scrolled the chat up as she devoured the conversation.

"You went to see him again?" she surmised.

Yasuhara nodded.

"What happened?"

He opened his mouth, but no words came.

"Coffee," he managed.

"You went for coffee?"

He nodded again.

"And then?"

"Walk."

Yasuhara blinked hard, trying to find the strength to go on.

"We kissed."

Mai sat back, shocked.

"What?"

"We kissed." Yasuhara's voice was barely a whisper. But the dining hall was empty, so he did not care. "We were laughing and joking and then I kissed him."

"Yasuhara!" Mai gasped. "What on earth were you thinking?!"

"I wasn't! Okay? I wasn't! We were just laughing and happy and it just happened!" he shouted, then his voice softened, "Then… I freaked out. We can't do that. I can't risk hurting him. I yelled at him. I hurt him more. But—"

"Breathe," Mai reminded him.

Yasuhara sucked in air and started a breathing exercise he had been taught. Silently, he began counting all the red things in the room. Then the orange things… Then the yellow ones…

He worked through the entire rainbow. Something he had been taught to calm himself.

The only indigo thing was Mai's jumper.

"Better?" she asked.

"Sorry."

"So you pushed Eugene away?" Mai asked.

"Yes."

"Good. I think that's for the best," she mumbled. "Excuse me, I'm going to phone Oliver and let him know what's happened. He expected to relapse on eating, not on you…"

Mai stood up and moved to the window. Yasuhara listened to her half of the conversation.

"...Freaked out…"

"...Away from each other…"

"...For the best…"

"...Bye."

He heard her sigh.

"Come on, you should get changed, you're still freezing."

"I'm fine."

"When is your next appointment?" Mai asked, ignoring him.

"Tuesday."

"Are you going to talk about this?"

"No—" Yasuhara stopped at Mai's glare. "I guess so."

"You need to. From now on, no more talking to Gene. If he texts you, ignore it. Don't text him. Neither of you are ready for it, especially after this."

"Okay."

"Now what you tell John is up to you, but I see little point in lying."

"Okay."

"Yasuhara?"

"Hmm?"

"Come here."

Mai drew him into a tight embrace, her tiny arms wrapping around his much larger body.

"Pushing Gene away must have been hard, but it was the right thing to do for both of you. So, don't hate yourself, okay? I'm proud of you."

Yasuhara did not answer. He had no words.

When Mai released him, he made his way up to his room and put his pyjamas on before flopping on his bed.

And to think he had thought everything had been getting better.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well it is Monday in California so this totally counts as updating on time... Only two more short chapters to go I'm afraid...**


	39. Part 3: Chapter 39

Yasuhara told John the truth. Mai was right, there was no point in lying. He accepted that he felt bad and tried not to guilt himself too much for those feelings.

About a week or so later, he realised that Mai was right about other things too. Pushing Eugene away had been the right decision.

Eugene sprang back from his relapse. Yasuhara sometimes caught sight of him laughing or talking with friends.

By the time the Easter holidays came, Yasuhara was able to tolerate his life. Despite the fact that Eugene was no longer part of it.

Mai invited Yasuhara to come and watch Masako's play with her. She had already seen it twice, but did not seem upset at the prospect of going a third time. Yasuhara declined.

Masako was Mai's friend, not his.

But that was okay. He had Mai and John.

John had stepped up to the challenge in the last few weeks. Making an extra effort to include Yasuhara with his other friends. It turned out one or two of them did Economics or Politics like he did, though in different classes. Yet this gave them a common topic to discuss. Common problems to moan about. Common tests to revise.

In short, something else to distract him.

Mai and Oliver, the latter of whose hatred had subsided somewhat in recent times, became experts in keeping Yasuhara and Eugene apart. They often sacrificed their own happiness to the cause.

Yasuhara was eternally grateful. He could do little to fully express this gratitude, but he tried nonetheless. He tutored Mai and gave her gift cards to coffee shops so she could take Oliver out for dates. Yasuhara did not know if Oliver knew about where the gift cards came from, he did not really care. As long as Mai was happy, he knew Oliver would be satisfied.

* * *

"Well, your scores have improved rapidly," Dr Friskine said. "You have been out of the amber zone for a few weeks now. So how are you feeling?"

"Alright," Yasuhara replied. "Bit worried about school finishing and going home, but I have my work experience to look forward to."

"That's excellent news. How are your friends?"

"Mai is fine," Yasuhara said. "She's staying with Madoka again, they have seriously talked about adoption, or fostering, or something. I'm not sure of the legalities, but Mai was happy about it. Especially soon as Lin proposed to Madoka. Mai is going to be a bridesmaid or something."

"Wonderful, and John?"

"He's going to Australia to see his extended family. He invited me to visit, but I'm not sure I fancy all that flying or the price tag! Maybe next year."

"Yes, I've heard how dangerous Australia can be," Dr Friskine muttered. "Lots of bugs and stuff."

"Yeah."

Dr Friskine paused.

"Do you have any concerns about your internship at all?"

"Of course," Yasuhara said. "I am worried about not doing well enough, not living up to expectations, about going home and being stuck with a man who isn't my father…"

"And how are you going to deal with these worries?" Dr Friskine asked.

"I will just try my best at the law firm, it's a learning experience. And if I don't like it, then I've learnt that law is not for me. There are plenty of other ways I can make a difference in the world."

"And your home issues?"

"I have spoken to my mother about it," Yasuhara said. "She says that my father bares me no ill will, but it's not like he speaks to me a lot anyway. Hopefully nothing will have changed."

"But.."

"But if it has then I will deal with it. They can't chuck me out, and my father wants to avoid a scandal at all cost. If it gets to that point then…" Yasuhara trailed off, not sure that he should admit to being willing to blackmail his so-called father.

"I'm glad you've got it under control," Dr Friskine said. "Is there anything else you want to discuss?"

Yasuhara shook his head.

"No, I don't think so."

"Excellent. Then in that case, this will be our last meeting. Of course if you have any future issues, just get back in contact with us and we'll be happy to help."

"Okay."

"And as for your medication, we normally advise that patients remain on antidepressants six months after they are feeling better, but I realise that may clash with your January exams," Dr Friskine said. "So you'll have to discuss that with your GP."

"Right."

"There is no shame in remaining on them a little longer," he went on. "You may want to wait until the end of your school career."

"Okay, I'll be sure to discuss that with my GP then."

"Good. Then I wish you luck and I hope I never have to see you again."

Yasuhara shook his hand and left. He knew the route through the hospital like the back of his hand now. There was no need to check the signage.

The sun was bright outside. Pathetic fallacy. Yasuhara felt bright and a million times better than this time the previous year.

The spring flowers had been replaced by summer ones. Bees buzzed from flower to flower, collecting nectar. A lone cloud wandered through the sky, but it was not heading towards Yasuhara.

He strode through the town, ready for whatever came his way.

* * *

 **Author's note: So this chapter is RIDICULOUSLY late because I went to Boston and didn't take my laptop with me (pro-tip, take your laptop next time Hannah. Jeesh.) So to make it up to you all, if you want the final epilogue chapter, I want at least one whole decent review before I got to bed tonight, so you have about 8 hours... This chapter and the last one are both short, but they didn't fit together, hence splitting them. Thank you all for sticking with me for this entire story.**


	40. Epilogue: Chapter 40

"Oliver finally agreed to be my date for Madoka's wedding," Mai gushed to Masako.

"Who else did he think he was going with?" Masako asked, incredulous.

"He hoped he wasn't going at all," Madoka said as she exited the changing rooms. "What about this one?"

Madoka spun around, giving the girls and Luella a good look.

"It's beautiful," Mai declared. "But I think I liked the princessy one better."

"But this one shows off her bum better," Masako countered. "But the detail on the other one was better. I think I like the mermaid tail, but the lacy detail is needed."

"I agree," Luella said. "Let me just see if I can find one…"

She bustled into the depths of the shop and returned moments later with five more dresses for Madoka to try on.

"I think Madoka regrets inviting her," Mai whispered to Masako.

"I think we will when we get to bridesmaid dresses," Masako muttered back.

Mai groaned at the thought.

"Did you mention bridesmaid dresses?" Luella asked, ears piqued in interest.

"Uh—"

"Maybe I should start picking those out too. How do you feel about strapless?"

"Oh please," Madoka said from behind the curtain. "Neither of them have any boobs to worry about!"

"Oi!" Mai protested. "I'll have you know my boobs are perfectly fine and definitely not insignificant!"

"And who told you that? Was it Noll?" Luella asked, her face clearly displaying her amusement.

Mai blushed furiously as Masako and Madoka laughed.

"I hate you all."

"So was it Noll?"

"No it was not!"

"I don't believe her," Masako said, giggling at her friend's frustration.

"I hate you all."

"Of course you do, now how about this one," Madoka said, striding out of the changing room once again.

It was perfect and they all knew it.

"It fits you so well!" Luella said, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh you look so beautiful. My baby all grown up!"

"Baby?" Masako whispered to Mai, who shrugged in reply.

"Just roll with it," she advised.

"Let's find you a veil," Luella said. She bustled off again and returned with plenty of veils to try.

Within ten minutes, Mai and Masako were prancing about in various pink dresses. Luella had chosen pink and Madoka had not objected.

"It'll look so good on the twins too," Madoka said. "Ooh, I could have two pairs! How perfect! These two are practically sisters and then…" She sighed dramatically.

"Who is walking you down the aisle?" Masako asked.

"I asked Martin to, as he has no daugher of his own, he agreed."

"That's nice of him."

"Mai, who would you pick to walk you down the aisle?" Madoka asked.

"Hmm, tough one," Mai mused. But before she could say any more, Masako gasped in offence.

"You mean I am not your first choice?"

"You'll be my maid of honour!"

"What about Gene?" Luella suggested.

"He'll be Oliver's best man, duh."

"Oh really," Luella's said, eyebrows raised. "So you have been thinking of marrying my son?"

She narrowed her eyes at Mai, who went scarlet and ran back into the changing rooms amongst her friends' laughter.

Mai knew she could not win, but did not care. She was happy.

* * *

Eugene scowled as his brother beat him at cards yet again.

"You're cheating!"

"I am not, and you know it," Oliver replied, smirking. "So that means you have to dance with the old people at the wedding."

"Eugh, fine! Okay, what next?"

"Who has to look after Mum when she gets teary," Oliver read from his list.

"Dad will do that," Eugene replied.

"Until he has one too many to drink and falls asleep in a corner. That's the next one."

They were playing cards to see who had to suffer the most at Madoka and Lin's wedding. Whoever lost a game had to accept a forfeit in the form of a responsibility.

"Well there is no point playing for this one. I'll take Mum, you take Dad."

Oliver frowned, questioning Eugene's choice.

"If you take Mum, and she realises it is you, then she'll be wondering why you haven't proposed to Mai yet," Eugene explained.

"Mai has been sixteen a matter of days," Oliver muttered.

"And our mother, when drunk, will see that as several days too many that you've deprived her of a daughter-in-law."

Oliver sighed, knowing his brother was right.

"That's another thing then," he said. "Someone to keep Mai away from the flower throwing thing. For her own benefit of course."

"Just distract her," Eugene said. "Dance and be soppy or something."

"I don't dance."

"For Mai's happiness you will," Eugene pointed out.

Oliver sighed again.

"Now have you seen the suits?" Eugene asked.

Oliver shook his head.

"They are grey, light grey. Someone needs to have them changed."

"What?"

"Light grey? In summer? We'll all be sweating like pigs and it will show up on grey! It's a bad idea!"

Oliver looked at his twin blankly.

"They've already bought them," Oliver said. "There is no changing them now. I think it would be better to arrange for aircon."

"Aircon is noisy in a church."

"Quiet aircon then."

"Do we have to get them a wedding present?" Eugene asked suddenly. "Like, they already live together, what do you buy people as a wedding present?"

"Luella will deal with that surely," Oliver said, scribbling a few notes on his list. He looked up at the sound of a vibration.

"It's mine," Eugene said, as he unlocked his phone. "Ooh, you want to see this!"

"What is it?"

"The girls in their bridesmaid dresses, from Masako."

Eugene spun his phone around to show Oliver the photo. Mai and Masako were standing side by side in pale pink one shoulder dresses.

"They look good huh?" he prompted as Oliver's eyes scanned the picture.

"The dresses fit them well."

"Really?"

"What?"

"Your girlfriend looks stunning and the best you've got is 'the dresses fit them well'."

"Well what would you rather I say?" Oliver asked, amused by his twin's indignation.

"How about 'they look stunning'?"

"They look stunning," Oliver deadpanned. "Happy?"

Eugene sighed and fell back on the bed.

"What am I going to do with you…"

"Put up with me," Oliver muttered.

Eugene chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess so," he agreed. "What are you doing?"

"Texting Mai."

"Saying what?"

"That she looks stunning in the dress."

"You can't just copy my words!" Eugene objected, sitting back up. "Give it here!" He reached for his brother's phone, but Oliver held it out of reach.

"I'll look up a synonym then," Oliver muttered.

"You're supposed to speak from the heart, Noll," Eugene reprimanded.

"Then I would tell her that I don't care what she is wearing because I like her not some pink dress."

"Then say that, but in nicer words."

Oliver rolled his eyes, but began typing.

"Will this do?"

He spun his phone around and let Eugene read the two texts that he had sent Mai.

 **Oliver: Gene showed me the picture of you and Masako in your bridesmaid dresses. You are stunning.**

 **Oliver: The dress isn't awful either.**

Eugene smiled.

"Maybe you aren't so hopeless after all," he muttered bumping shoulders with his brother. "Now, what's next on the list?"

The end.

* * *

 **Author's note: Thank you all for reading this mess. I know the end isn't the best, but the topic of abuse in relationships hits home rather hard and I really struggled with the ending of this story, more than usual. I used some of my own experiences to try and make this more real. Even now, I can't go back and try to edit. It has been suggested to me that I re-write this as an original story. But I'm going to have to wait a while before I try that. Thank you all for your reviews and kind words and apologies for the messy update schedule for the last few weeks.**

 **I have started on another longer piece... So please keep an eye out for when I eventually get around to posting it.**


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